Helen Drysdale out of helen’s kitchen Barley

Barley, a member of the grass family, is probably the oldest grain grown on the planet and the fourth most important cereal crop in the world. This centuries-old grain contains important vitamins, minerals and fiber. Pot barley is the whole grain barley with the outer inedible husk removed but the bran and germ are intact thus it is rich in dietary fiber and has more nutritional value than pearl barley. In pearl barley, the bran layer has been stripped off entirely. Pearled barley is the most widely available in the grocery stores and is the quickest variety to cook. Pot barley takes 25 or more minutes to cook than pearl barley. Both barleys are done when they has tripled in volume and are soft yet chewy. Barley can be used in stews, soups, risottos and many other dishes. For the beer drinkers of the world it is used to make their favorite drink but my favorite way to use barley is in beef and barley soup.

Hearty and delicious barley soup loaded with veggies makes for a comforting family meal. This hearty soup is everything you desire from a good vegetable soup.

Vegetable barley soup

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, sliced

8 cups vegetable broth

(or beef or chicken)

1 cup pearl barley

2 carrots, diced

1/2 of a diced red pepper