Persians use Barley in a recipe for Cream of Barley Soup or as we say in Persian "Soup-e Jo". The Barley is cooked in a rich Chicken broth and makes for a hearty and very delicious soup.
Barley, a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Wikipedia
My mom would cook this soup for us when we were kids and I always loved the creamy texture of this soup. Now, I make it every time I cook a lot of chicken. The chicken broth, with a few veggies and the barley added, is the ideal combination for a hearty and great tasting soup. Over the years I have found that Herbes de Provance enhance the taste of this old time favorite recipe even further. Give it a try, even though it is not part of the original recipe the soup becomes even more flavorful.
Ingredients
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 cup barley
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp Herbes de Provance (optional- it adds a lot of flavors though!)
7 cups chicken broth
1 carrot grated
Half a bunch celery Finley chopped
1 lime
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions
1. Fill a large pot with the chicken broth, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper, herb de province
2. Add barley, carrots, celery and bring to a boil
3. Stir occasionally and reduce heat to simmer until barley is cooked
4. When everything is cooked add the heavy cream and lime juice
5. I like to add a bit of parsley or cilantro as garnish before serving the soup.
