Cookbooks often show a skewed version of everyday life; bacon is not in the barley soup everyday of course it tastes fantastic, but it is not really completely necessary. You can replace it with a few sprigs of herbs, such as thyme, to make a vegetarian version.
Ingredients
- 2¾ oz (75 g) smoked bacon slices
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4½ oz (125 g) barley
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 9 oz (250 g) root vegetables, such as carrots, beets, and parsnips
- 7 oz (200 g) Yukon Gold potatoes
- 2–3 cloves garlic
- 1 handful young dandelion leaves (about 1¾ oz (50 g)) or arugula, escarole, or endive if dandelion is not available
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 4 eggs
- freshly ground salt and pepper
How to Make It
- Cut the bacon slices into small pieces and render down the fat over low heat in a pot with 1 tablespoon canola oil. Remove the bacon and lightly cook the barley in the same pot. Pour in the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 40 minutes.
- In the meantime, peel the root vegetables, potatoes, and garlic, then slice. After 25 minutes cooking time, add the vegetables to the broth. Slice the dandelion leaves in 1–1½in (3–4 cm) pieces. Combine with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and the remaining canola oil. Put aside.
- Crack an egg into each of the four soup bowls. Taste and season the hot soup, and carefully ladle it over each egg; allow to sit a few minutes. Sprinkle with dandelion leaves and bacon to serve.
