Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Serves 6
- 350g (12 oz) chicken pieces (optional)
- 1 marrow bone or 1 oxtail (optional)
- 500g (1 lb) sliced mushrooms (including if possible 50g dried porcini)
- 150g (¾ cup) pearl barley (optionally soaked 1 hour ahead)
- 2 large carrots cut into rounds
- 1 potato cubed
- 1 turnip or kohlrabi cubed
- 1 small celery stalk sliced
- 1 large onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons goose fat (or neutral oil)
- Salt, pepper (white preferred)
- In a bowl, cover the dried porcini with warm water (slightly more than covering) to rehydrate for about ten minutes. In a Dutch oven, sauté the finely sliced onion in the goose fat (or oil) with the chicken if using. Meanwhile, rinse the pearl barley well (which you may have soaked ahead). Cut the carrots, celery, potato, and turnip into small cubes and slice the fresh mushrooms (I keep the dried porcini whole).
- Add them to the pot along with the bone previously salted with coarse salt on both sides (if you want to keep the marrow inside) and sauté for 10 minutes. Finally add the barley with about 5 times its volume of water including the porcini soaking liquid, salt, and pepper. Simmer covered for 1 hour at a gentle simmer, adding water as needed depending on desired consistency. Turn off heat, sprinkle with finely chopped parsley.
Tips and Variations
- Some prepare this recipe with poultry, especially giblets (neck, wings, gizzards).
- The vegetables can vary (leeks, etc.). It’s traditional to also add large white beans - in that case you need to soak them the night before and adjust cooking time accordingly.
- If you’re in Israel, oxtail is regularly available. To learn more about meat in Israel