Food
Grandmother’s Vegetable Soup
By Yankee Magazine|Sep 05 2007|
Just the thing to simmer on a woodstove in winter.
Yield
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
4 pounds beef bones
2-1/2 quarts cold water or beef stock
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig marjoram
5 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup barley
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Combine bones, water, thyme, marjoram, peppercorns, and bay leaf in soup kettle. Simmer, covered, 2-1/2 hours. Remove bones and cut off any remaining bits of meat. Strain stock. Cool, chill, and skim fat from top. Return to kettle with meat. Add vegetables and simmer, partially covered, 15 minutes. Add barley and simmer 10 minutes longer or until barley is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
This is such a versatile recipe … almost any preferred seasonings may be added. I do not use the quick cooking barley as it seems to absorb too much of the broth and ‘gums up’. I use the regular pearl barley beads which leaves plenty of broth to slurp.