Yogurt Or Buttermilk Soup With Toasted Barley Recipes

YOGURT OR BUTTERMILK SOUP WITH TOASTED BARLEY

Steps:

• Heat a heavy, medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat, and add the barley. Stir or shake in the pan until it begins to smell toasty, about five minutes. Add the water and salt (to taste, about 1/2 teaspoon), and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.
• While the barley is cooking, place the cucumber in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss and place in a strainer set over the bowl. Allow to drain for 30 minutes. Rinse well and drain on paper towels.
• Combine all the ingredients except the mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for one hour or longer. Serve, garnishing each bowl with the mint.

GRAINS IN HERBY BUTTERMILK

Steps:

• Toast grains in a dry medium heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just slightly darkened and beginning to smell nutty, about 4 minutes. Pour in 4 cups water, then add onion, garlic, lemon zest, and a couple of big pinches of salt; stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally and skimming any foam from surface as needed, until grains are tender (pull out a few grains and take a bite to test), 35-45 minutes; pluck out and discard onion, garlic, and lemon zest.
• Meanwhile, purée parsley, dill, buttermilk, and a big pinch of salt in a blender until bright green and smooth. Pour into a medium bowl, add yogurt, and whisk until your arm gets a bit tired-3 minutes should do the trick (whisking the mixture well will ensure that the yogurt doesn't split and get grainy when you add it to the grains).
• Pour buttermilk mixture over grains. Increase heat to medium and bring to a bare simmer. Cook just until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and squeeze in juice from lemon half. Stir well, then taste grains and season with more salt if needed. Skim any foam from surface.
• Ladle grains into bowls. Drizzle some oil into each bowl and top with coarsely ground pepper.

HOT YOGURT SOUP WITH BARLEY AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and beginning to color, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the barley and stir together until the garlic smells fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Add the stock and salt to taste (depending on the saltiness of the stock), and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 40 minutes, or until the barley is tender.
• In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Whisk into the yogurt. Off the heat, whisk this mixture into the soup. Return to low heat and bring to a bare simmer, stirring. Do not boil. Add salt to taste and a generous amount of pepper. Stir in the cilantro, and season with fresh lemon juice if desired (or squeeze a few drops over each bowl). Serve hot or warm, garnished with thin rounds of lemon.

TURKISH BARLEY AND BUTTERMILK (OR YOGURT) SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy pot and saute onions until translucent.
• Add barley and saute, stirring lightly, until translucent and slightly toasty-smelling.
• When onion is well browned, add stock and cook until barley is well done, 45 minutes to an hour (or 25 minutes in a pressure cooker).
• Remove from heat, let cool a bit, and slowly add buttermilk and more stock to thin it if necessary. Sprinkle in dill and add butter or margarine.

YOGURT-BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Bring the barley and water to a boil in a large pot. Simmer, covered, while proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
• Saute the onions in the butter until translucent.
• Add the carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots are tender.
• Add water as necessary if the vegetables start to stick.
• When the barley is tender, add the vegetables, mint, and seasonings to the pot.
• Simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Add the yogurt and parsley.
• Carefully warm the soup on low, adding some stock if you want a thinner soup.
• Done!

BARLEY SOUP WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• Put the chicken carcasses in a large pan with about 5 1/2 pints (11 cups) water. Add salt and pepper and boil for 1 hour or longer. Strain, and put back any little bits of chicken into the stock.
• In the washed and dried pan, fry the onion in the oil until soft. Add the stock and any cooking juices and melted fat left over from the original roasting of the chicken. Bring to the boil, then add the barley. Crush the saffron threads with the back of a spoon on a little plate and stir them in. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the barley is swollen and tender. Add the chopped parsley and mint and adjust the seasoning, but remember the yogurt will add a little needed sharpness.
• Just before serving, beat the yogurt in a bowl with a few ladles of the soup. Then pour the yogurt mixture into the soup, beating vigorously, and heat to just below boiling, stirring constantly. Do not allow the soup to boil, or it will curdle.