DON’T STRAIN YOUR NOODLE

DELICIOUS SOUPS TO KEEP YOU WARM THROUGH THE CHILLY SEASON

Whether it’s cold outside, cold inside or you have a cold, soup always seems to warm you up. And when it comes to ingredients for your soup, pulses (legumes) and grains are a great source of nutrition and have a stick-to-your-ribs quality.

You know you’ve been nourished when you have one of these soups:

BEEF AND BARLEY SOUP

When you want beef to become meltingly tender, in a beef stew, a braised pot roast or a soup like this, be sure to use chuck (also called beef shoulder or blade) or short ribs and cook them until meat can be easily pierced with a knife.

Soups made with grains and pulses thicken when made ahead — just add water and season again. Hull-less barley is less processed and takes longer to cook than pearl barley but you can use either.

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 11/2 lbs beef chuck, in 2” chunks kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 10 cups cold water 1/2 oz dried wild mushrooms 1 cup hull-less barley or pearl barley, rinsed 1 onion, chopped 1 leek, white and green part only, halved lengthwise, rinsed and sliced 2 carrots, chopped 1 parsnip, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 cup chopped black kale (about 1” pieces) 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Pat meat dry, season generously with salt and pepper. Brown meat.

2. Add water and bring to a boil. Skim off and discard any scum that rises to the surface. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently one hour.

3. Meanwhile soak dried wild mushrooms in 11/2 cups boiling water for about 30 minutes. Strain liquid through a sieve lined with paper towel and reserve. Rinse mushrooms well and chop.

4. Add wild and fresh mushrooms, barley, onions, leeks, carrots, parsnips and garlic to beef. Add mushroom soaking liquid, 2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Continue to cook, covered, until beef and barley are very tender 1 to 11/2 hours longer. Remove meat, discard any visible fat and cut meat into smaller pieces. Return meat to soup. Add kale and cook 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with parsley.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH DILL

This soup always reminds me of my mom and the soup they serve at United Bakers Dairy Restaurant in Toronto. I used to cook the noodles right in the soup (after purée-ing for about 10 minutes), but now I cook them separately in case anyone is gluten free.

(Or use rice noodles or gluten-free noodles.)

Soup will thicken if made ahead — just thin with water and re-season.

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 parsnip, peeled and diced 1 carrot, peeled and diced 1 cup dried split green peas, rinsed 6 cups water (or more if cooking noodles in the soup) 1 cup broken spaghettini or linguine 2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill or more

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan and add onions, garlic, parsnips and carrots. Cook gently until fragrant and tender about 5 to 8 minutes. Add split peas and combine well.

2. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook gently, covered, about one hour, or until peas are very tender. Purée half the soup. Season to taste.

3. Cook spaghettini 7 to 10 minutes in boiling salted water until tender. Serve with soup. Sprinkle with fresh dill.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

DELY’S CHICKEN CONGEE

I love congee and this simple version from Dely Balagtas is my go to congee. If using brown rice it may take a bit longer to cook.

2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 2” piece fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks 3 lbs chicken pieces 2 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce 1 cup sticky rice (short grain) 1 cup jasmine or basmati (long grain) 12 to 16 cups water salt to taste To serve: 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 tbsp lemon juice

1. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Cook gently a few minutes. Add chicken pieces. Cook just until chicken loses its’ raw appearance. Add fish sauce.

2. Add rice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook gently about 1 1/2 hours or until chicken and rice are very tender and soup is very thick.

3. Remove chicken and discard skin and bones. Add chicken meat back to rice. Add more water if congee is too thick. (It should be more like a stew than a soup.)

4. Combine soy sauce and lemon juice in a small bowl. Let everyone season their congee to taste.

Makes 8 to 10 servings. National Post

TYLER ANDERSON / NATIONAL POST Bonnie Stern’s Beef and Barley Soup is a dish with a stick-to-your-ribs quality.