Photo credit: Rebecca Penovich

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup sliced leeks (white parts only)
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 1 1/2 T. chopped garlic
• 1 smoked ham bone (about 1 pound, chop some leftover meat from the bone and reserve to add to the soup)
• 6  cups chicken stock (I used homemade, watch the salt if your ham is salty)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup frozen corn (defrost by letting it sit out on counter while you prepare soup)
• 1/2 cup chopped ham from the bone
• 1/3 cup uncooked pearl barley
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions

• Warm the olive oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot. Add the onion, leeks, shallot, celery, carrots and cook over medium low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until softened.

• Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes more, stirring frequently.  (Don’t let the garlic brown, turn down the heat if you must.)

• Add the stock and the ham bone.

• Add the bay leaf.

• Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer, and simmer for 1 hour.

• Add the 14.5 can of diced tomatoes and their juices.

• Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, then fish out the ham bone.

• Stir in the pearl barley, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Add the 1/2 cup of chopped ham, the Worcestershire and black pepper.

• Cook 10 minutes more and add the corn (defrosted if frozen.)

• Taste to see if barley is soft, and add salt as needed.

• Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

A hearty winter soup to eat by the fire.
Photo credit: Rebecca Penovich