Harts of Stur Kitchen issue 09, spring 2019 | Page 26

Harts Kitchen
CHICKEN AND PEARL BARLEY SOUP
W
hen it’s chilly outside, make a big
batch of this warming soup for a
comforting supper, or take it to work in a
flask for an easy lunch. Dried mushrooms
lend lots of flavour here. They are a great
store-cupboard ingredient to have on hand
for pepping up soups, pasta sauces, stews
and casseroles.
Serves 6
670 calories per serving
690 calories with Parmesan
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
4 celery sticks, diced
2 courgettes, diced
2 leeks, trimmed, well washed and diced
2 litres fresh chicken stock
1 litre water
A bunch of thyme sprigs, tied with string
2 bay leaves
250g pearl barley
40g dried porcini mushrooms
1.5kg free-range whole chicken, spatchcocked or
quartered, skin removed
200g cavolo nero, tough stalks removed, chopped
roughly
250g frozen peas
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
30g Parmesan, freshly grated, to serve (optional)
THE KIT LIST
The souper bowl
Le Creuset Toughened
Non-Stick 18cm
Deep Casserole
Method
Harts Price: £130.00
KitchenCraft Meat And
Poultry Lifters (Pair)
Harts Price: £4.95
World of Flavours Italian
Parmesan Cheese Grater
World of Flavours Italian
Ridged Glass Oil Drizzler
Harts Price: £3.95
Harts Price: £19.95
James Martin Soup
Ladle
RRP: £14.00
Harts Price: £8.40
26
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1. Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole
dish over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and
carrots and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add
the garlic, celery, courgettes and leeks and cook for
a further 5 minutes, or until softened.
2. Pour in the chicken stock and water and add the
thyme, bay leaves, pearl barley and dried porcini.
Stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Lay the chicken in the casserole, season
generously with pepper and simmer gently for 1
hour, turning the chicken over halfway through
cooking.
4. Lift the chicken out of the broth onto a plate and
allow to cool a little. Remove and discard the thyme
and bay leaves from the broth. When the chicken is
cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the
bone and shred into bite-sized pieces.
5. Bring the broth back to a simmer and stir in the
cavolo nero and peas. Cook for 2 minutes, then
return the chicken to the soup and stir well. Taste to
check the seasoning and add salt and pepper
if needed.