Barley Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  2 tbsp or 27g

• Onions

  Raw

  1 medium or 110g

• Celery

  Raw

  3 strip or 12g

• Carrots

  Raw

  1 large or 72g

• Fennel

  Bulb, raw

  ¼ bulb or 59g

• Garlic

  Raw

  4 cloves, minced or 12g

• Bay leaf

  Dried

  2 leaf or 0.4g

• Parsley

  Raw

  4 tbsp or 15g

• Paprika

  Spices

  ½ tsp or 1g

• Crushed red pepper flakes

  ¼ tsp or 0.08g

• Salt

  Table

  1 ¼ tsp or 8g

• Tomatoes

  Red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice

  7 cup or 1.68kg

• Water

  Plain, clean water

  4 cup or 947g

• Lentils

  Raw

  ½ cup or 96g

• Barley

  Pearled, raw

  ½ cup or 100g

• Kale

  Raw

  2 cup, chopped or 134g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  1 dash or 0.1g

Directions

1. Warm the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat until shimmering.
2. Add the diced onion, celery, carrot, and fennel. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft but not browned, about 12–15 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, and half of the parsley and cook until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes.
4. Season with paprika, red pepper flakes, and salt.
5. Roughly chop the canned tomatoes, then add them with half of the water. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the tomatoes break down, 30–45 minutes.
6. Add the remaining water along with the rinsed lentils and barley. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook until the grains are tender, about 30–40 minutes, adding a splash of water if the soup becomes too thick.
7. Stir in the chopped kale and simmer until wilted and tender, about 5 minutes.
8. Off the heat, stir in the remaining parsley and adjust seasoning to taste.
9. Ladle into bowls and finish with freshly ground black pepper to taste.