One of those throw-stuff-in-a-pot recipes that turned out good. This time, however, I wrote down what I did! This is a savory, filling soup just barely on the edge of being creamy, that doesn’t overdo anything: two bowls is more veg than anything, and the broth is still fairly light, despite the cream and fat from the pork.

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg (12 oz) salt pork
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 bunch Swiss Chard
  • 5 tomatoes
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 6 cups broth or stock (I used chicken)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1⁄3 cup sour cream
  • 1⁄2 cup pearled barley
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preperation

  1. Dice and sautee the salt pork over medium heat, adding the onion once the fat has started to render.
  2. Mince and add the garlic once the onions are translucent, sautee for another 5 minutes.
  3. Add the stock and bring to a boil.
  4. Dice and add the tomatoes, then chop and add the chard, and bring back to a boil.
  5. Reduce to a simmer and add the bay leaf. Simmer for 45 minutes.
  6. Add the barley and simmer for another 15 minutes.
  7. Stir in the sour cream, salt, and pepper, and simmer for another five minutes, then serve

Serve with a crusty loaf of bread to soak up the soup, and a good drink to go along with it. One couldn’t go wrong with a lighter red to cut through the fat from the pork and to marry with the tomatoes, but I won’t tell if you serve it with a pinot grigio, either, to pair with the tart greens and tomatoes.