Lamb Mushroom Barley Soup with Kale and Mint

Last week I made a roasted leg of lamb and then stumbled across a recipe online for a lamb mushroom barley soup.

I didn’t have half the ingredients but I had the two most essential ones already prepared – the lamb and chicken stock.

I also had some mushrooms and kale which my intuition told me would make a great fit.

Oh intuition, how I love when you are right!

Hearty but not too hearty this lamb mushroom barley soup with kale and mint makes for a perfect late-winter, early-spring time soup.

Lamb Mushroom Barley Soup with Kale and Mint

Ingredients

Serves 8-10

3-4 pound leg of lamb, preferably boneless, or any cut of lamb you prefer – shoulder, loin, stew meat, etc.
2 quarts chicken or beef stock, preferably beef
3-4 TBSPs extra virgin olive oil
4-8 cloves garlic depending on how garlicky you like things
1 medium to large onion, diced
2-3 ribs celery, diced
2-3 carrots, diced
1 14.5 oz can organic stewed tomatoes
1 bunch kale, chopped
2 cups mushrooms of choice, chopped – porcini, shiitake, crimini, etc
1 cup pearl barley, soaked overnight or sprouted
1 cup red wine
juice of 1 lemon
2 bay leaves
2-3 teaspoons dried oregano
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
3-4 tsps Worcestershire sauce
1 bunch mint leaves, chopped
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Roast leg of lamb at 350 degrees in oven for about an hour until a meat thermometer reads 120 degrees Fahrenheit for rare or 130 degrees F for medium. Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Alternatively, you could cut the lamb into bite-sized pieces, sear them on all sides in olive oil and then add the pieces with step 3 below.

2. While lamb cooks, prepare soup. Heat olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat and add garlic, onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms and cook until softened about 10-15 minutes.

3. Add the barley, tomatoes, stock, red wine, bay leaves, oregano and thyme. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to a gentle simmer for about 30-40 minutes.

4. Add kale in the last 5 minutes of simmering.

5. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mint, salt and pepper. Stir well. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

6. Cut lamb into bite-sized pieces and place in soup bowls. Ladle soup over lamb.

7. Adjust taste with additional lemon, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper if needed.

8. Enjoy!

Notes and Variations

Cut the lemon into wedges and serve on the side instead.

Sub brown rice for barley for a gluten-free version

Leave out all grains entirely for a grain-free version

Substitute stewed beef for a beef barley soup

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About the Author

Craig Fear is the creator of Fearless Eating and the author of three books, The 30-Day Heartburn Solution, Fearless Broths and Soups and The Thai Soup Secret. After years helping clients with digestive issues, Craig decided to pursue writing full-time. He intends to write many more books on broths and soups from around the world! Click here to learn more about Craig.