Month: December 2010

Autumn, Fall, entertaining, France, gluten-free, Main Course, Meat, one-pot, Soups and Stews, Winter

Aprés-Ski Menu: Beef Bourguignon

by Lynda Balslev18 Comments on Aprés-Ski Menu: Beef Bourguignon

 

During the winter season I like to prepare rustic recipes from the French countryside. These hearty dishes are made with staples from the land, such as potatoes and root vegetables, bitter winter greens, cured meats and cheese.  My favorite is beef bourguignon, a stew consisting of a tough cut of beef slow-cooked in Burgundy wine until falling-apart tender, mingling with carrots, onions and mushrooms in a rich, savory stock.  It’s a delicious one-pot meal perfect for a cold night or an apres-ski meal. It can easily be made in advance, and like most stews, tastes even better the next day for easy planning. Enjoy with a glass of red wine, a roaring fire, friends and family.

Beef Bourguignon

Serves 6 to 8

Olive oil
3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup cognac
4 large carrots, divided
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 (750-ml.) bottle full-bodied red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried thyme
10 ounces pearl onions, peeled
1/2 pound white mushrooms, halved
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-proof pan with lid or Dutch-oven. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the beef to the pan, without over-crowding, and brown on all sides. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining beef.
2. Add the cognac to the same pan and deglaze over medium-high heat, scraping up any brown bits, and reduce by half. Pour the cognac over the beef and set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 325 F. (170 C.)  Coarsely chop 2 carrots. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same pan. Add the chopped carrots, the garlic, and onion. Sauté over medium heat until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Return the beef and any collected juices to the pot. Add the wine, stock, tomato paste, and thyme. (The beef should be covered by the wine and stock. If not, add more wine or stock to cover.) Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
4. About 30 minutes before the beef is finished cooking, cut the remaining carrots into 1/2-inch slices. Saute the carrots in a skillet with 1 tablespoon oil until bright in color and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the onions and mushrooms to the same skillet and sauté until lightly golden and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5. Remove beef from oven. Pour the stew into a large strainer set over a bowl. Remove the meat from the mixture and return to the Dutch oven, then press down on the cooked vegetables in the strainer to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the solids.
6. Pour the strained liquid into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half and has a sauce consistency, skimming the fat from surface. Add the sugar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce back over beef and add the carrots, onions, and mushrooms. Bring to a simmer to heat through, then serve.

Note: Beef bourguignon can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Remove solidified fat from surface before reheating. Reheat over medium-low heat on stovetop, or in a 325 F oven.

Appetizers, Christmas, Denmark, Fish and Shellfish

Holiday Timeout: Shrimp and Dill Open-Face Sandwich

by Lynda Balslev11 Comments on Holiday Timeout: Shrimp and Dill Open-Face Sandwich
Holiday Timeout: Shrimp and Dill Open-Face Sandwich

Are you suffering from a food hangover? No worries. You’ve made it this far, cruising through Thanksgiving, holiday parties, and now Christmas. Just a few more days to go before the New Year, and then you can look forward to a diet respite. In the meantime, here is a quick fix: a Danish-inspired open-face sandwich. Clean, fresh and minimal, this is Danish design on a plate. It’s a perfect antidote to holiday excess, yet sufficiently decorative and pretty to look at during the festive season.

Not only is this open-face sandwich healthy and low in fat, it’s seasonally appropriate. The Danes are famous for smørrebrød, or open-face sandwiches. Eaten year round, smørrebrød makes a special appearance at the Danish holiday table, where they are an important first course in the culinary marathon otherwise known as the Christmas Lunch. Christmas Lunch is a bit of a misnomer, as it applies to multiple days preceding and following Christmas Day and may happen at lunch or dinner. Whenever it may fall, rest assured there will be numerous courses accompanied by beer and shnapps and no room for any more food that day.

Now, don’t be afraid. While the Danes view smørrebrød as one course of many, for our  sake, I present you with  a Shrimp and Dill Open-Face Sandwich as a light and refreshing dietary interlude. Enjoy this for lunch or as light dinner while you pace yourselves to the New Year. And if you must accompany it with a jigger of akavit, go ahead. After all, it’s the holidays.

Shrimp and Dill Open-Face Sandwich

Bay shrimp are a good substitution for the tiny fjord shrimp typically used for this recipe in Denmark.   Makes 2 smørrebrød.

2 slices french loaf bread, 1/2 inch thick
Lightly salted European-style butter
2 large Boston lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves
1/4 pound bay shrimp
4 tablespoons creme fraiche or Greek style whole milk yogurt
Dill sprigs
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges

Spread each bread slice with butter. Cover with a lettuce leaf. Arrange shrimp in rows on lettuce. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons yogurt over shrimp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with dill sprigs and serve with a lemon wedge.

Uncategorized

Happy Holidays

by Lynda Balslev2 Comments on Happy Holidays

Dear TasteFood Readers,

Happy Holidays to all of you and best wishes for a healthy and peaceful New Year shared with family, friends and great food.

All the best from the TasteFood kitchen,
Lynda

Chicken, one-pot, Poultry, Soups and Stews, Wine, Winter

Coq au Vin

by Lynda Balslev9 Comments on Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin is cozy winter food. It’s meant to slow cook and, like many stews, tastes even better the day after it’s prepared. I’ve come across recipes for quick Coq au Vin. This option sounds ideal for a busy weekday night, but, if you ask me, I would rather save my Coq au Vin for the weekend when it can simmer away, filling the kitchen with warmth and the aromas of wine and herbs, while building anticipation for dinner to come.

Traditional Coq au Vin required slow cooking, since it called for using a tough rooster as its main ingredient, which benefited from a long cooking process to tenderize the bird. Nowadays, chicken is commonly used, and the length of cooking time is shortened. Nonetheless, the dish is best when left to simmer over low heat, and the sauce is allowed to reduce and thicken into a luxuriously rich stew.

In this version, I omit the bacon and use a generous amount of brandy to deglaze the pan. Tomato paste is added to round out the sauce with a touch of sweetness. I like to slow-cook the stew in the oven at a lower temperature, freeing up the stove top for other needs. In the meantime, I am free to get on with other tasks, or relax with a book and a cup of tea or gløgg.  This is the epitome of winter weekend food, preferably when the weather is cold and dismal outside.

Coq au Vin – Chicken Braised in Red Wine

As an option to butchering a whole chicken, purchase 2 whole legs and 2 to 3 breasts with skin and bone intact. Serves 4 to 6.

1 tablespoon olive oil
One chicken, cut in 8 pieces
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup brandy
4 garlic cloves, smashed
3 large carrots, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 large onion, chopped
8 ounces white mushrooms, halved (quartered if large)
1 (750 ml) bottle full-bodied red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. (170°C.) Heat the oil in an oven-proof pot with lid or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces, skin-side down, in batches. Brown on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter.
2. Carefully add the brandy to the pot (it will steam) and stir to deglaze the pot while you let the brandy reduce by about half.
3. Add the garlic, carrots, onion, and mushrooms, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the wine, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. Return the chicken to the pot and nestle the pieces in the wine. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Transfer the pot to the stove top. Remove the chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Boil the sauce over medium heat until reduced by about half and thickened to a sauce consistency, skimming the fat, about 20 minutes. Add the sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pot, and gently simmer to thoroughly heat through.
5. Serve warm in low bowls with mashed or roasted potatoes.

chocolate, Christmas, cookbook, Desserts, entertaining, gluten-free, holiday

Holiday Dessert: Chocolate Terrine with Orange Crème Anglaise

by Lynda Balslev4 Comments on Holiday Dessert: Chocolate Terrine with Orange Crème Anglaise
Holiday Dessert: Chocolate Terrine with Orange Crème Anglaise

Chocolate Terrine with Orange Crème Anglaise is most worthy of the holiday table. Not only is it appropriately elegant and sinfully rich, it may be prepared up to 3 days in advance, allowing you to get on with your Christmas shopping and preparations for house guests.

Also known as a Marquis au Chocolat, this popular French dessert is like eating a truffle in the form of a brick. I first made this recipe as a finale to a cheese fondue party, when I wanted a simple yet rich chocolate dessert with a French twist. I scoured my cookbooks and found inspiration in a recipe for Marquis au Chocolat by Thomas Keller in the Bouchon Cookbook. I  paired the chocolate with orange which proved to be a match made in heaven. Slivers of dark chocolate nestled in a pool of cool orange-infused crème anglaise, studded with Gran Marnier macerated fruit. Not only did the orange add a bejeweled touch, its citrus notes brightened the chocolate, elevating this classic to celebratory status, befitting the holiday table.

Chocolate Terrine with Orange Crème Anglaise and Gran Marnier Oranges
Adapted from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Cookbook

Serves 10 to 12

Chocolate Terrine:
Canola oil
12 ounces (350 g) 70% dark chocolate
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated
4 large egg yolks
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream
2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1. Lightly oil a 1 1/2 quart terrine mold or loaf pan.  Line the mold with plastic wrap.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
Add 8 egg yolks to the cooled chocolate mixture, stirring to combine.  Sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa and stir into the chocolate mixture.
3. Beat cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form.  Transfer to another bowl and refrigerate until use.
4. Clean the mixing bowl and then beat the egg whites with the 2 teaspoons sugar until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture, then fold in the whipped cream.
Pour into the terrine mold and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.  (Terrine may be prepared up to 2 days in advance.)

Orange Crème Anglaise:
Makes about 2 cups

1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
6 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1/2 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
2 teaspoons finely grated untreated orange zest
5 large egg yolks

1. Combine the cream, milk, 4 tablespoons sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, and the orange zest in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, then remove the pan from heat. Cover and let stand 30 minutes to let the flavors infuse.
2. Whisk egg yolks with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl until thick and light in color.  Whisking constantly, pour one-third of the cream mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon, about 10 minutes.  (To check if done, run a finger down the back of the wooden spoon.  The line should remain clearly intact without the custard running.)
3. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water.  Cool the custard, stirring occasionally.  When completely cool, pour into a container.  Place plastic wrap over the surface of custard.  Cover the container and refrigerate until use.  (The custard may be prepared up to 2 days in advance.)

Gran Marnier Oranges:
2 navel oranges
2 to 3 tablespoons orange flavored liqueur, such as Gran Marnier or Cointreau
1 teaspoon sugar

Cut away the peel and pith of the oranges with a knife. Slice the oranges crosswise, about 1/4-inch thick. Cut out the orange segments and place in a bowl. Add the  Gran Marnier and sugar and stir to combine.  Let stand at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. (Cover and refrigerate until use.)

To serve:
Remove the terrine from mold.  Run a knife under hot water and wipe dry.  Slice the terrine in 1/4-inch slices.  Arrange 1 to 2 slices on a plate.  Drizzle the Orange Crème Anglaise around the terrine.  Serve garnished with Gran Marnier Oranges.

Autumn, Fall, Christmas, gluten-free, one-pot, Soups and Stews, Thanksgiving, Vegetables and Salads, Winter

Cauliflower and Celery Root Soup with Truffle Oil and Crispy Kale

by Lynda Balslev16 Comments on Cauliflower and Celery Root Soup with Truffle Oil and Crispy Kale

I am a huge fan of cauliflower soup, yet it’s rare that I find a version that’s just right. Often the soup is grainy or bland, redolent of cauliflower yet missing an extra oomph that keeps me coming back for more. So, in my pursuit of the right stuff, I decided to team up cauliflower with a few of my favorite ingredients. First, I added my new best tuber friend – the celery root. Celery root, or celeriac, is mild with a softy nutty flavor. Combined with cauliflower, it smooths and mellows adding a hint of celery while permitting the cauliflower to shine through. I also added a chunk of Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese. As the soup simmers, the cheese dissolves into the stock, lending depth and an elusive umami flavor that begs for more tasting. The soup is puréed and dressed with a splash of cream, adding richness without overwhelming. The final flourish is  a drizzle of truffle oil which elevates this weeknight staple to a holiday standard. For a garnish, I scatter a few crispy kale leaves over the soup. The salty roasted leaves add lovely contrasting crunch to the creamy soup. You might find yourself ferreting through your bowl in search for more.

Cauliflower and Celery Root Soup with Truffle Oil and Crispy Kale

The crispy kale is an optional addition to this luxurious soup. The kale leaves may be roasted in advance and refrigerated in an air-tight container until use. Be sure to make extra; they are a delicious and healthy snack. Serves 4-6.

For the soup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium celery root, peeled, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 medium cauliflower, cut in 1 inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken stock
2 inch chunk  of Parmeggiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Truffle oil

For the crispy kale:
6 (or more) kale leaves, halved, tough stems removed
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the soup:
Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery root and cauliflower; sauté 3 minutes without browning. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add chicken stock and cheese. Cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes. Carefully transfer in batches to a food processor. Purée until smooth. Return soup to pot. Stir in cream, salt, pepper and additional chicken stock if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Simmer 5 minutes. Taste to adjust seasoning. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of truffle oil. Garnish with crispy kale leaves.

Prepare the kale:
Toss kale leaves with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a 350 F. oven until crisp without blackening, 25 minutes. Crumble a few leaves in the soup before serving. (Kale leaves may be prepared up to one day in advance.)

cake, Christmas, Denmark, Desserts, holiday, Vegetarian, Winter

Aebleskivers

by Lynda Balslev7 Comments on Aebleskivers
Aebleskivers

aebleskivers tf011

Danish Æbleskivers

Referred to as pancakes, dumplings or even doughnut holes in English, æbleskivers are served as a treat throughout the month of December, almost always with a glass of gløgg.

Makes 20.

1  1/2 cups whole milk
.6 ounce fresh yeast (1 cake) or 1 envelope dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/2 vanilla bean
2 eggs, separated

Unsalted butter
Raspberry or strawberry preserves
Powder sugar

Heat milk in a small saucepan until lukewarm.  Remove from heat and pour into a medium bowl.  Add yeast and let it dissolve.
Combine flour, sugar, salt and cardamon in a medium bowl.  Split vanilla bean and scrape seeds into the dry ingredients. Whisk the egg yolks into the milk.  Add the wet ingredients to the flour and mix well. Beat egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer until stiff.  Fold into batter.  Let rest one hour at room temperature.
Melt 1/2 teaspoon butter in each indentation of an aebleskiver pan over medium heat.  Pour batter into each indentation, about 2/3 full.  Cook until golden brown underneath, 3-4 minutes.  Using a knife or skewer, turn aebleskiver over and continue to cook until golden and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove æbleskivers from pan, and repeat with remaining batter.  Serve æbleskivers with powdered sugar and preserves  – and a glass of steaming gløgg.

Note:
An aebleskiver pan is a stovetop pan with 6 or 8 holes/indentations. While non-stick is available, choose a cast iron pan for best results.

Autumn, Fall, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Tians and Casseroles, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian, Winter

Root Vegetable Gratin

by Lynda Balslev12 Comments on Root Vegetable Gratin
Root Vegetable Gratin

If you are searching for holiday side dishes, this root veggie gratin is a fresh alternative to a traditional potato gratin. Layers of rutabaga and sweet potato alternate with red potatoes in this colorfully striated dish flecked with sage.  The root vegetables lend an extra dimension to this rustic winter gratin with their sweet earthy flavor, while adding a more nutritious alternative to the simple potato.

Root Vegetable Gratin
Serves 6-8

16 ounces sour cream
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 medium red potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
1 large rutabaga, peeled
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, finely grated

Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C.) Butter a gratin dish.
Combine sour cream, garlic, sage, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl and mix well. Thinly slice potatoes and rutabaga, preferably with a mandoline. Arrange 2 layers of red potatoes, overlapping, in bottom of gratin dish. Spread a thin layer of the sour cream over the potatoes. Sprinkle with a little Gruyere cheese. Cover with a double layer of sweet potatoes. Spread with a thin layer of sour cream and a sprinkling of Gruyere. Repeat with a layer of rutabaga. Repeat process until all of the vegetables have been incorporated. (There should be about 6 layers in all.) Thoroughly top gratin with remaining sour cream. Sprinkle a liberal amount of Gruyère over sour cream. Bake in oven until vegetables are tender and top of gratin is brown and bubbling, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (Loosely cover gratin with buttered foil if browning too fast.) Serve garnished with fresh sage leaves.

Appetizers, Christmas, Denmark, entertaining, Fish and Shellfish, holiday, Parties

Holiday Entertaining: Salmon Gravlax

by Lynda Balslev16 Comments on Holiday Entertaining: Salmon Gravlax
Holiday Entertaining: Salmon Gravlax

You say Christmas, and I say Gravlax. The holiday season is not complete without executing a recipe for home-cured salmon gravlax. Don’t be daunted. This is an entertainer’s dream. The salmon is easily prepared in advance and stowed in the refrigerator to cure for 2 days. All you need to do is unwrap and remove the spice cure, slice and serve. The results are the essence of Nordic cuisine: minimal and elegant. Fennel, dill and pepper fleck the meltingly soft salmon which tastes of the sea. How can you argue with that?

Gravlax (gravlaks in Danish and Norwegian or gravad lax in Swedish) literally means salmon in a grave or hole.  During the middle ages fisherman would salt salmon and let it ferment by burying it in a hole above high-tide line. Nowadays it’s not necessary to bury salmon in sand, but, rather in salt and sugar and banish it to the refrigerator.  The salmon will cure over several days, during which the salt and sugar will turn into liquid, creating a brine.

Salmon Gravlax

Serves a party.

Salt and sugar are necessary ingredients for curing, while fresh or dried herbs, peppercorns, citrus or spirits are frequently added to the brine for additional flavor. This recipe adds dill, fennel, peppercorns and akavit for flavor and spice. Choose a fish which is very fresh with a firm consistency. I use an Atlantic fish, such as Loch Duart Salmon.

One side of salmon, about 3 pounds (1.5 kg) with skin, pin bones removed
1 tablespoon white peppercorns
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
10 ounces (350 g) sea salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup fresh dill sprigs, chopped
1 cup fennel fronds, finely chopped
1/4 cup Akavit or vodka

Lightly toast the peppercorns and fennel seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until aromatic, about 1 minute. Transfer to a mortar and finely ground to a powder. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the salt and sugars. Rub the fish all over with the spices mix.

Line a long baking pan or dish with plastic wrap.  Place half of the dill sprigs and half of the fennel fronds over the plastic wrap.  Arrange the salmon, skin-side down on the herbs.  Sprinkle the Akavit over the salmon. Top with the remaining dill and fennel. Cover with additional plastic wrap, sealing the fish.  Place a heavy pan or tray on the fish. Weigh down the pan with cans or bottles.  Refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.

To serve, remove the fish from refrigerator. Remove the plastic wrap. Pour off the collected juices and wipe off excess brine and dill.  Slice diagonally from one corner of the salmon towards the center of the fillet.

Fold a slice of gravlax on toasted brioche bread or white bread.  Squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon juice and smear a spoonful of Honey Dill Mustard on the fish.  Garnish with a dill sprig.

Honey Dill Mustard

1/4 cup honey mustard
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup chopped dill sprigs
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk the mustard and vinegar together in a small bowl.  Slowly whisk in the oil to emulsify.  Stir in the dill, pepper and salt.

Breads, Pasta, Rice, Grains, one-pot, Soups and Stews, Thanksgiving

Mushroom Barley Soup with Miso and Kale

by Lynda Balslev14 Comments on Mushroom Barley Soup with Miso and Kale

If you are anticipating a holiday food hangover this season, then take note of this recipe. Mushroom Barley Soup with Miso and Kale is the perfect antidote to excess. Not only does it put to use any left over turkey stock you may have, this healthy, economical soup is loaded with vegetables and high fiber barley. Handfuls of nutrient-rich kale are added to the soup in the end, so there is just enough time to wilt the leaves without overcooking. The extra ingredient to this wholesome soup is a spoonful of red miso paste, which adds depth and that elusive umami quality which keeps you coming back for more. Luckily, this is one meal you can indulge in seconds without feeling guilty.

Mushroom Barley Soup with Miso and Kale

Chicken stock may easily be substituted for turkey stock. Serves 4-6.

Olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
Salt
8 ounces sliced assorted mushrooms, such shitake, cremini, cepes
2 large carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup barley
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
8 cups chicken or turkey stock
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups kale leaves, tough stems removed, leaves shredded
1 tablespoon red miso paste

Heat oil in a medium sized stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt; sauté 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and carrots; sauté 3 minutes. Add barley and thyme and stir to coat. Add stock, bay leaf and pepper. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in kale. Simmer until kale turns bright green and wilts, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in miso. Taste to check for seasoning. Serve garnished with fresh thyme.