Dad pointed me to David Herbert's recipes in The Weekend Australian and we both tried two simple, no-fuss recipes, both of which were a great success. I definitely recommend this soup for a hearty, winter meal.
Bacon, Leek And Barley Soup, serves 4
Adapted from David Herbert's Food section in The Weekend Australian
5 rashers of good bacon, diced into 1cm pieces
2 cloves of garlic
1-2 leeks, sliced in 1cm rings then cut in half
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
(You could also add 1-2 carrots, sliced, but I hate cooked carrots)
1/2 cup barley
1.25 litres chicken stock
Couple of bay leaves and sprigs of thyme
In a large pot fry the bacon in a little olive oil for 5-7 minutes; it should cook but not crisp. Add the whole cloves of garlic, leek and celery and cook for another 5 minutes until the vegetables soften. Add the barley, chicken stock and herbs and stir through, then pop the lid on and simmer on a low-ish temperature for one hour.
