Recipe: Ham and Barley Soup (stove top or pressure cooker)

Ham and Barley Soup
rec.food.cooking/Jamie Utter (2000)

This recipe is delicious if you have the bone. I love this soup.

1 bare ham bone
1 cup barley
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
2 beef flavored bouillon cubes
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp. pepper
12 cups water
1/4 cup oil
2 large onions, diced
4 large celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch slices
12 oz. mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 large carrots, sliced or frozen carrots, cooked as directed on package
1 (9 oz.) package frozen green beans, cooked as directed on package
2 cups left-over ham, cut into small pieces
1 large can (~1 lb) stewed tomatoes

Bring the ham bone, barley, thyme, bouillon, salt, pepper and water to a boil and simmer for 1-1/2 hours,

Or: Cook in Pressure Cooker for 20 - 30 minutes. Let steam return to down position.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Brown onions, celery and mushrooms.

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for five minutes.

Cooks Note: I used homemade brown stock in place of the water and bouillon. I used fresh steamed carrots for the frozen. I also used the pressure cooker which saved considerable time with no discernible compromise to the flavor.