Vegetable Soup

(Pareve or Meat)

Vivienne Kalman

This is a hearty, delicious soup that is easy to make. It tastes best made in advance and served the next day. If it will be part of a meat meal, use chicken or beef stock instead of the water and bouillon powder. Adjust the seasonings accordingly. Serve the soup with good bread and a dessert of fresh fruit and your favorite cookie, and you will enjoy a filling and nutritious meal.

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried lima beans
1/4 cup pearl barley
8 cups water (or chicken or beef stock)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
6-8 medium mushrooms, washed, peeled, and sliced
1 large onion, cut in half and sliced
1 tablespoon oil
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon bouillon powder (pareve)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon sugar (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)

Soak lima beans and barley separately for ten minutes. Rinse away the starch. Boil the water or broth, add the lima beans and barley, and cook, covered, on a slow boil for 1/2 hour. Sauté the sliced onions in the oil until soft and translucent.

Add diced tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, sautéed onions, celery, and bouillon powder to the liquid. Continue to cook, covered, another 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add salt, sugar, and pepper. Check for taste. Cook another 15 minutes or until the lima beans are soft. Serve immediately or cool and refrigerate or freeze.

Vivienne Kalman is the Food Editor’s mother. She has made this soup hundreds of times, often improvising with the vegetables included. [It is always good!]