turkey barley soup

mmmm, my house smells a little like christmas.

we're going away for the next two weeks, and i've been frantically cooking and freezing food we can take with us so we don't get trapped eating out for two weeks straight!  i've also been trying to use up all the bits and pieces of vegetables so we don't leave anything behind to spoil.  so the other day i made turkey stock from the other half of the christmas turkey bones that have been taking up space in my freezer, and today i'm turning that stock into turkey barley soup.  i made some of this at christmas too and, though simple, it has been a wonderful comfort food to pull out of the freezer over the last month.  i'm looking forward to having some more!


Turkey Barley Soup
prep time: 30mins  cook time:  45mins
serves 4-6

3-4 cups turkey stock
2-3 cups water
1/2 cup barley, rinsed well
1 cup leftover turkey, diced - i had closer to 2 cups, so our soup will be a bit more meaty!
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1/2 cup snow peas, diced - add whatever vegetable you want here - this was just what we had on hand.  mushrooms are especially good with barley!
sprinkle of rosemary
sprinkle of sea salt
1/2 tsp or less olive oil

in a soup pot, saute onion, garlic, and celery in olive oil with rosemary and sea salt until the vegetables are softened.  add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.  reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until the barley and vegetables are tender.  enjoy!


How to make Turkey or Chicken Stock:

8 cups of water
1 turkey or chicken carcass (or 1/2 if it's really big)
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 medium carrots, chopped
2-3 medium stalks of celery, chopped
2 leeks, white parts only, rinsed well and chopped - i didn't have any this time, but they're good
1/2 tsp each rosemary and thyme - or some poultry seasoning, or whatever you like
1 bay leaf
a few whole peppercorns
a sprinkle of sea salt

add all the ingredients to a large stock pot and mix well.  bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  cook on low for 2 hours or until the bones fall apart easily.

strain the stock into a large bowl and put in the fridge overnight.  the next morning, skim the layer of fat off the top.

once the bones cool, remove any meat and set aside for future soup making adventures.

for the super-frugal:  separate the cooked vegetables from the bones and blend them in a blender or with a hand blender.  add a bit of the stock until you get a consistency you like.  grate some cheese over top and enjoy a small bowl of vegetable soup!

barley and sun-dried tomato salad

i had no idea you could do anything with barley other than put it in soup.  i was sadly misinformed!  what a tasty little grain, and pretty easy to cook too.  like other whole grains, it's full of fibre and helps you feel full.  i served this salad with balsamic grilled salmon (below) and grilled peppers.

Barley and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad - serves 4
prep time: 5 mins   cook time: 20-25 mins
adapted from: Chatelaine, June 2010, pg. 227

1 cup pearl barley
2 tbsp white wine vinegar - i used apple cider vinegar - a bit tart, but not too bad.
1 tsp dijon mustard - didn't have any, used a squirt of regular mustard, but it probably would have tasted better with the dijon.
1/8 tsp salt - omitted
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped - i use dried rather than the ones soaked in oil.  they are half the price, easier to store, and a good deal healthier.  you just soak them in boiling water for 2 minutes before using.  apparently you can even make your own in your oven - waiting for a good batch of tomatoes to come to town before i test that one!
pepper to taste
i also added about a tablespoon of honey, just for kicks.


Rinse the barley under cold water and add to a medium saucepan with 3 cups of cold water.  Gently boil, uncovered until tender - 20-25 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.
Whisk white wine vinegar with dijon and salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk in olive oil.  Stir in barley and sun-dried tomatoes.  Season with pepper.

this was a pretty good salad, though i think next time i'd add something crunchy (maybe pine nuts?) and play with the dressing a little bit.  i really enjoyed the barley cooked this way though, and am on the hunt for more similar recipes!  what's your favourite barley recipe?