Bean Stew with Barley & Squash

Fall is definitely in the air. The weather is chilly, windy, and rainy. I don’t know about you, but I could go for a nice bowl of soup. Soups usually take a bit of time to make but most of that time is spent simmering on the stove. I like making them on the weekend. This soup takes about 1 ½ hours but you only need to spend out 20 minutes preparing. It serves 8 to 10 so you can feed a crowd or freeze some for later. Remember to freeze leftovers in serving size containers.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of olive oil

2 leeks, sliced

1 cup of finely diced fennel

1 bunch of cilantro (use stems and leaves) or parsley (leaves only)

3 garlic cloves

½ cinnamon stick

2 tablespoon of tomato paste

2 quarts broth (vegetable or chicken)

½ cup pearled barley

2 teaspoons of salt

4 cups cooked beans or chickpeas

2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash (use frozen to save time)

½ cup of red lentils

*2 ½ tablespoons of Barat – This is a Middle Eastern Spice mix. You can buy it or make your own. To make it combine:

2 tablespoons of sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon of coriander,

1 tablespoon of cumin, 1 tablespoon of turmeric,

2 teaspoons of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of allspice

Directions:

1.     Heat oil in a large stock pot and simmer the leeks until they begin to brown.

2.     Chop cilantro and add to the pot along with the chopped garlic and fennel.

3.     Stir in the Barat, cinnamon and tomato paste,

4.     Add broth, barley and salt.

5.     Bring to a gentle boil. If it’s very thick you may add up to 3 cups of water.

6.     Simmer for 40 minutes

7.     Add beans, squash and lentils.

8.     Cook for about 20 more minute or until the barley is cooked

9.     Adjust the seasonings, remove the cinnamon stick and enjoy!