Monday, October 12, 2009

Braising Greens


A very good friend of mine is on vacation this week, so I have had the good fortune of being a 'garden caretaker'. To put it mildly, I am over-the-moon with this so-called task! My darling McDreamy is worried that his city girls have gone country, yet after he enjoyed the soup I made for dinner, which consisted of all the lovely braising greens, turnips, onions, and bell peppers the crumb and I picked and gathered, I believe we might have won him over to our side!
Barley & Braising Greens Soup
6-10 turnips chopped
2 bell peppers chopped
1 onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
3-4 cups of braising greens (kale, chard, turnip greens) washed, stems removed, cut into strips
1 1/2 cups of Barley
32 oz. of low-sodium broth (chicken or vegetable)
6 oz. of water
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
salt
In a large saucepan (soup pot), heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion, peppers and turnips. Cook until tender, then add minced garlic, cook for 30 seconds. Add braising greens and continue to cook until wilted. Add broth, water and barley. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, add red wine vinegar and salt (to taste) cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until Barley is tender.
[photograph by Reverie-Daydream]

41 comments:

  1. This really looks like such a fresh recipe!Thank you Mel! You always have some great new ones for us to try. Those figs in the smaller basket look simply perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Mel your in heaven! Does sound lovely and the soup sounds delish, no wonder McDreamy is coming round.
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  3. oh heaven is right!!!
    when are you coming to my house to help me cook up a storm.
    p.s. have i told you lately how much i love it here.
    you are the best.
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  4. Greens! My fave! I make something like this --- wish we could share a dish with one another!
    pve

    ReplyDelete
  5. mmmm!!
    What a lovely weekend of gardening.
    I had to harvest as much basil and herbs from garden as possible on Saturday the cold was setting in. Made lots of pesto and then tons of tomatoes for canning. (new thing for me, i too am a city girl!)

    I will have to try your soup recipe, sound delish!
    xx
    callie

    ReplyDelete
  6. yum! will definitely be picking up some greens at the market tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  7. i love the idea, of you taking care of a beautiful garden. greens are one of my favorite foods, i think i will try this recipe, over the weekend. it sounds, yummy.
    : )

    ReplyDelete
  8. that sounds so yummy! gosh i wish i had a green thumb...and i wish i could cook.

    gorgeous photo!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yum! Sounds perfect, Melissa! I've been under the weather, but this soup would certainly pick me up. xoxo Gigi

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sounds SO yummy! Love your willow basket by the way. Happy Monday to you. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a nice soup. That is one stunning picture by the way.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I have such a hard time with greens and I love them. I'll have to try this soup. It sounds yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love it!!! Nothing wrong with a city girl who loves to tend her garden! ;) I have a small condo and tried to do the best with a container garden this year. Try sunflowers in the window! They got 3 feet high. Love your pic! :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. This will be made today~ Greens are our best friends...Thank you Mel! I love it!!! You are the best!
    xox's

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yummm...
    I'm sure you are a wonderful caretaker darling!
    When I was in Singapore, I drank delicious Barley water...they boil barley & use the liquid + rock sugar...supposedly, it helps to cool us down from the tropical heat...it works & taste delicious...we should try! xo*

    ReplyDelete
  16. It's like a city girl gone wild in the country! I'd be over the moon too to take care of such a garden!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love it! This is my husband and my dream come true, a little vegetable garden for home made soups etc. We're half way there, just looking forward to next spring so very much!

    ReplyDelete
  18. i braised swiss chard last night! i love greens. not a fan of the barley though.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yummy! I take soup to work everyday and was looking for some new ideas, thanks! Have a sweet day! x

    ReplyDelete
  20. ah ... just the image of you and your crumb picking and gathering these lush greens to make a soup for your fella is so so sweet!
    it's funny how we (us kids up north) equate turnip so much with thanksgiving and christmas (the turkey dinners), and of course i mashed up a pot full for yesterday's feast ... but we don't indulge nearly enough in this wonderful veggie other times of the year ...
    until now.
    thank you for sharing this recipe ~ one i will most definitely look forward to trying for sure sometime between now and christmas - wink!
    warm wishes,
    prairiegirl xo

    ReplyDelete
  21. must. make. this. soup. now. thank you you lucky gardensitter!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Yummy yum yum!!!!! You Country Girl you! xoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
  23. This sounds delicious - and perfect for this vegetarian! Thanks, Mel!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Mel you are a lucky lady to be in that garden and that garden is lucky to have you as its caretaker. The garden is one of the few places where I truly relax even though I am covered in dirt and sore as can be!! I rushed back from Vermont today so I could get back in my garden. The country needs more city girls like you dear.
    xx
    Bunny

    ReplyDelete
  25. This was a good reminder for me that i realy DO need to eat more greens! looks yum!

    ReplyDelete
  26. maybe we can try this country thing together...my mind can't seem to get used to this city life since we got back...I know I will change my mind about a million times within the next week...thanks for the recipe girly...xo t

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love all of the autumn veggies and greens. And... I am passionate about soup. Next weekend this will be on my list. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Oh Mel, I wish you were my next door neighbour !!!! You make the best things. If there's one thing that I can't get enough of, it's homemade soup. Autumn is the season of comfort food and soup is the best comfort food. Thanks for the recipe. XXXX

    ReplyDelete
  29. i think I could become a country girl...at least for a season! sounds so yummy..will you send me some leftovers... Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. You always post the most amazing recipes... this one sound fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  31. This picture is alive - the textures, the light, everything just pops out gracefully.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Yum! It's a greens kind of week. Last night we had white bean with braised green soup. And tons of sourdough.
    Stay warm.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I SO love vegetable gardens! Good for you...your recipe sounds scrumptious, Mel. xo

    ReplyDelete
  34. Gosh you make me want to take up cooking. It sounds like delicious fun when you describe it. What a gift! Perhaps I'll brave it with an easy recipe one of these days. Beautiful photo too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Mel- the picture is amazing! How fun too! And I always can use another recipe for braising greens- healthy and yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  36. yummmy. it is so nice to have fresh veggies and herbs in the garden. i can jut pop outside and grab something.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Mel, this is PERFECT timing! There is such a bounty of autumn veggies at the Joshua Tree farmer's market and I've been hankering to make a big pot of soup, so I'm printing this out and making it this weekend.

    THANK YOU!
    xo lily

    ReplyDelete
  38. Yummy!!! the perfect recipe for winer cold evening!
    I made a pumpkin soup! It was great!!! Everybody appreciated it! Next, it will be potato soup!
    Miss you! :(

    ReplyDelete

Share your dreamy thoughts with me.....

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails