Pumpkin and leek soup with barley

A nutritious and flavoursome soup with barley, leeks and pumpkin is Angela Nicolettou's recipe for this week.

Soup with pumpkin, leeks and barley Source: supplied by Angela Nicolettou

Ingredients

1.5 lt chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

1 kg pumpkin

Sprig fresh rosemary

2 leeks, washed and diced

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

½ cup pearl barley

Parsley, chopped

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

Method

Heat oven to 180C.

Peel and cut pumpkin into chunks (about the size of a walnut). Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with rosemary and add the whole garlic cloves. Mix to coat and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and set aside till needed (this can be done in advance and stored in the fridge).

Heat a large saucepan and add ¼ cup olive oil and the diced leeks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften. Add the baked pumpkin and garlic (remove peel)  and mix. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.

Using a stick blender, puree the soup. 

Add the barley and mix through. Add 1 cup of boiling water and simmer the soup for 30 to 40 minutes until the barley is soft (you might need to add more water if it’s too thick). Check seasoning and add more if needed.

Serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.