I usually prepare this delicious and wintery soup using the Thermomix that my beloved sister-in-law and her lovely husband gave me and Patrick as a wedding present! The result you’ll obtain by using a non-stick pan will be absolutely the same, the only thing is that you’ll have to stir it regularly while it cooks.
SERVES: 4 people (if eaten as a starter)
KITCHEN TO TABLE: 45 mins
DIFFICULTY: 
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 carrot (roughly 80 gr)
- 1 celery stalk (roughly 80 gr)
- 1 white onion (roughly 80 gr)
- 10 gr olive oil
- 250 gr pearl barley
- 200 gr red lentils
- 5 baby plum tomatoes
- 2 vegetable or chicken stock cubes
- 1.2 litres water
- salt
- black pepper
FOR SERVING
- grated Parmesan cheese
- a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
COOKING UTENSILS
- 1 non-stick pan (if you don’t use the Thermomix)
Directions
- Place your pan on a low-medium heat, add the carrot, celery and onion all finely diced and the olive oil and let them cook until translucent
- Add the barley and red lentils, the tomatoes cut in halves, the stock cube, some salt and black pepper and the water and let it cook for roughly 25 minutes (the time needed will depend on the cooking times of your barley and lentils, so please check on the packet)
- Once ready check if you like its consistency as, if you like it to be more liquid, you’ll have to add some more boiling water and let it cook for an additional 10 minutes
- Serve your soup hot with some Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top
IF USING THE THERMOMIX
IF USING THE THERMOMIX
- Place the carrot, celery and onion in your cooking device for 3 sec./speed 8, then add the olive oil and let them cook for 5 min. /120°/speed 1 (TM31: 5 min./VAROMA/ speed 1)
- Add the barley and red lentils, the tomatoes cut in halves, the stock cubes, some salt and black pepper and the water and let it cook for 25 min/100°/speed 1
- Serve your soup hot with some Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top
