Allegra McEvedy's Turkey, Barley & Sage Soup

  • Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 150g barley, rinse then soak in cold water for 30 mins to an hour
  • 3 tbsp butter or goose fat
  • 1 small leek, sliced & washed
  • 1 carrot, peeled & diced half a swede or turnip or whatever root veg you have handy, peeled & diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, rough-chopped
  • 1 chilli, diced (& seeds in if you like it warm)
  • A good handful of sage, chopped
  • 1.5 ltrs warm turkey stock (keep to one side any carrots & onions left from making your stock) + couple of handfuls of turkey (leg meat preferably), chopped or shredded
  • Large handful of rocket, washed & rough chopped
  • Some parmesan
  • Salt & pepper

Method

  1. Heat the butter in a large pan on a high heat.
  2. Add the leek, carrot & any other root veg, give it a good stir & cook over a medium heat with the lid on for about 5 mins until just softening.
  3. Stir in the garlic, chilli & sage. Fry for approx 1 min with the lid off.
  4. Tip in the soaked barley, stir, then pour in the stock & season.
  5. Bring up to a simmer & add any veg left over from your stock-making, roughly diced. Gently simmer for around 30 minutes or until the barley is tender.
  6. Once the barley is pretty much there, stir in the shredded meat & allow to warm through for a couple of minutes.
  7. If your soup is looking a little thick, add a little more stock if desired.

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