Barley and Spring Onion Soup With Fava Beans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should barley be soaked before adding to soup? ›

Pearl barley does not need to be soaked prior to cooking because it cooks quickly. Hulled barley benefits from soaking in water for a few hours before cooking. However, you should still budget more time for the hulled grain to cook (about 35 to 40 minutes).

Over medium heat in a skillet, melt together the butter and olive oil, then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the peeled fava beans and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are done to your preference. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, serve, and enjoy!

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan until warmed through. Since the barley absorbs liquid while it sits in the soup, you will need to add some extra broth or a little water when reheating.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute.

The whole-grain barley soaked overnight cooked up the next day in 35 minutes (salting made no difference in timing or texture), while the cooked-from-dry grains took only five minutes longer. Flavor-wise, there wasn't much difference. The verdict? Don't bother soaking whole grains—the payoff is barley worth the effort.

There is no need to rinse barley before using it. To enhance the flavor of barley, heat the kernels in a skillet for a few minutes or cook it in broth instead of water. You can save time by cooking extra barley and freezing it. Add it to soups or salads as you need it.

To prepare your fresh fava beans, you have to soak them to loosen the protective outer layer: pour 10 cups of water into a pot for every pound of beans, and let them soak overnight to loosen their outer layers. As an alternative, you can boil the beans for three minutes and then let them soak in hot water for one hour.

You can cook them all whole or shell a few for contrast and fun-either way is delicious. If you have time, shell 1/3 of the fava beans and cut the remaining whole pods into 2-inch lengths.

Toss in half the fava beans and let them boil 1 to 2 minutes. Remove them with a skimmer to the ice water. Repeat with the other half of the beans. While the second group of beans is cooking, the first should have all fallen to the bottom of your ice water bowl.

As barley is a starch the best you can do is dilute it, or thin it out a bit. You may need to add a fair bit of broth and more of your vegetal ingredients. Possibly to the point of doubling your recipe. It will depend on when you find the taste and texture to have gotten back to acceptable levels.

Which barley is best for soup? ›

Hulled barley has only had the outer hull removed. Pearl barley has had the hull as well as some of the bran removed, resulting in a grain which is paler, cooks faster, and is less chewy. Pearl barley is what we are using today. Vegetable stock/broth – Homemade is so simple to make, it's really worth making your own!

MAKING BEEF BARLEY SOUP AHEAD OF TIME

Since the barley can absorb too much of the liquid when made ahead, and get mushy, I find it best to cook the barley separately. Make as directed, just omitting the barley.

If you started the soup with broth, stock or water, I would wait until the end to add the cream. You can warm the cream, or “temper” it, which is what I do. Take about half a cup of the hot broth and slowly add your cream to that, stirring constantly.

Barley releases a lot of starch which can have an unpleasant effect on the soup...it can make the soup slimy and look like jelly when cold.

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl. Start with the basics. Ensure you've added enough salt and black pepper.

Soak the barley for 8 hours or overnight in ample water. Rinse the barley in a strainer. Drain well and remove any debris that may have made into your barley. Now bring the 3 cups of water or broth to a boil.

Pour water and rinse them well at least 4 times in plenty of water. Rub and rinse them well. Drain the water completely. Optional but recommended: Soak them for at least 7 hours.

As with all soups with starches such as rice or pasta, the barley will continue to absorb the stock when left overnight. It will become softer than ideal and thicken the soup considerably, not to mention the loss of all the soup broth!!

Barley's fiber content helps prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract. Eating fiber-rich foods such as barley may also contribute to weight loss. This is because it functions as a “bulking agent” in the digestive system, making a person feel fuller for longer.