Graubünden barley soup

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 onion(s)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 carnations
• 3 liters of water
• 160 g pearl barley
• 2 handfuls of kidney beans
• 300 g meat (boiled meat or other soup meat), in one piece
• 500 g vegetables (winter vegetables, carrots, leeks, celery)
• Vegetable broth, granulated
• pepper
• nutmeg
• Sugar
• Parsley, chopped
• cream

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

the traditional recipe, ideal in winter!

Halve the onion, peel it roughly, and stud it with the cloves and bay leaf. Heat the pressure cooker and briefly fry the onion on the cut side without any fat. If you like, you can also fry the pearl barley briefly in a little fat, but it’s not necessary. Otherwise, simply add it, then pour in about 3 liters of water. Add the beans (it’s best if they’ve been soaked for a few hours beforehand, but this will work just fine) and the piece of meat. Then close the pressure cooker and let it cook for about 40 minutes. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can do it without; it will just take much longer. Meanwhile, chop the vegetables into very small pieces; they should be smaller than the beans. Cut the leek into thin strips and the rest into small cubes. Add the vegetables to the soup, but add the leek a little later, as it cooks much faster. Remove the piece of meat and cut it into pieces, then add it back in. Season the soup to taste with granulated stock, pepper, a little sugar, and nutmeg. Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender. Then add a generous amount of parsley and, if desired, finish with cream. The soup tastes even better if you let it stand overnight; the barley releases more starch and thickens the soup, giving it a more rounded flavor. It can also be enjoyed immediately. Serve with good bread! This recipe makes a generous portion, but the soup keeps well and freezes easily.