Chef Terry's Southwest Country Broth
Traditionally, homemade soups made a nourishing addition
to a family's meal and the Country Broth is one that was almost a meal
in itself. It was made from whatever was available at the time rather than
from set ingredients. What makes this soup a favorite of mine is the addition
of the salsa. The additional spices (without a lot of added salt) add a
southwestern flavor to the soup.
In the earlier times, chicken carcasses and meat bones were boiled down to make stock. Vegetables were collected along with other greens and thrown into a pot to tender with the stock. When there were lots of vegetables, making a thick soup, milk was used to thin slightly. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 onion
1 carrot
1 potato
1/4 cucumber
1/2 green pepper
2 tomatoes
Some lettuce leaves
2 sticks celery
1 handful pearl barley
1 handful lentils
Some chopped fresh herbs or
1 tsp. dried herbs
2-tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter
3 pints chicken stock (or stock made with stock cubes)
4 cups Smoky Hill Salsa or Salsa Verde
2-3 tbsp cream or top of milk
Directions:
Prepare vegetables; chop coarsely. Sauté them in the oil
and butter. Add the pearl barley and lentils, then stir in the stock. Add the
herbs and seasoning. Bring to boil; simmer for 1/2 hour. If you like it chunky,
mash it down with a potato masher or put it through a course shredder or liquidiser.
Return it to the pan; add the salsa and the cream. If necessary, dilute with
milk. Bring back to simmering point and serve.