The soup can be bulked up with extra lentils or beans for a very hearty meal, and the avocado adds a delicious creaminess.
Serves 4
You’ll need: 60ml avocado or olive oil; 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 5mm thick half-moons; 1 large turnip, peeled, quartered and sliced into 5mm thick fans; 2 medium onions, chopped; 2 leeks, well washed and sliced; 1 small bunch soup celery, washed and chopped; 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes; 6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped; 200g pearl barley, rinsed; 3 bay leaves; 6-7 sprigs thyme; 4-6 fresh garlic cloves, chopped; 10ml salt; freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 litre (4 cups) good quality vegetable or beef stock; 2 avocados, peeled, stoned and diced; 60ml freshly chopped parsley; avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle; crusty bread for dunking
How to:
Heat the oil in a soup pot and add carrots, turnips, onions, leeks, celery and potatoes. Sauté vegetables until they become translucent and start to soften for about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, pearl barley, bay leaves, thyme and garlic to the vegetables in the pot and season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes uncovered. Add the stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the pearl barley is tender, about 20 – 30 minutes.
Serve soup in warm bowls topped with diced avocado, a sprinkle of parsley and a drizzle of avocado oil.
Serve with thick slices of crusty bread for dunking.
*Recipe and image by the South African Avocado Growers’ Association.
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What’s for dinner? Thick veggie soup with avo – Randfontein Herald
