When Lahav Ardi was just six-and-a-half years old his mom was sick. When she got up to make lunch Lahav stopped her and offered to do it himself. He made this soup and it helped her get better. Ever since then, whenever someone is sick, they make the soup.
This recipe helped Lahav become the Utah winner in the
http://www.epicurious.com and White House Food Challenge.
Ingredients:
6 cups vegetable broth
½ cup red & green lentils
1/3 cup barley
1/3 cup onion -finely chopped
¼ cup celery hearts
4 small red potatoes or
2 small regular potatoes
1 cup sliced fresh carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1½ Tbsp. parsley
½ Tbsp. oregano
½ Tbsp. basil
1 tsp. cilantro
1 tsp. sage
Salt and pepper to taste
Added options in the prep phase:
To make this non-vegetarian and to add some protein we will often add 2 small chicken breasts (about a half pound) that have been cut into 1 inch cubes. We actually like it better this way and recommend it strongly. J
You could also use chicken broth instead of veggie broth, something we will do when someone is sick at home.
Tablespoon or two of Garlic
To prepare:
Pour the broth into an 8 quart pot over medium heat.
Add lentils and barley to begin cooking.
Now cut your carrots and potatoes and add them to the broth along with the spices and frozen veggies.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer until lentils and barley is tender.
If soup is too thick you may opt to add another cup of broth.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
To serve:
Toast some whole wheat bread or multi-grain bread topped with mozzarella and Gouda cheese in the oven to serve alongside.
Also, a little bowl of fresh strawberries, blue berries and kiwi go very well on the side for a treat.
