Shifra's Soup

Like most families, my family doesn't agree on everything, but one thing we do agree on is our love for this soup. My mother makes a big batch a few times during each winter because we can't get enough! 

We don't know the origin of this soup so we just call it Shifra's Soup because my mother got the recipe from her cousin Shifra. 

Two of my favorite soups are mushroom barley and split pea and this soup has the best qualities of those two soups. It is creamy from the split peas that break down and give the soup great body and it is rich and hearty from the barley. This soup also has lima beans that get really tender and when you bite into one it has a lovely buttery texture. 

The key to this soup is to make sure that it comes to a full boil before lowering the flame and allowing the soup to cook for a few hours. The soup needs to reach a boiling temperature in order for the barley and beans to breakdown properly. 

Shifra's Soup

2 Tbs olive oil

1 medium onion, diced 

1 large carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced 

Salt

6 Tablespoons (1/4 cup + 2 Tbs) pearl barley*

6 Tablespoons (1/4 cup + 2 Tbs) dried baby lima beans* 

6 Tablespoons (1/4 cup + 2 Tbs) yellow split peas*

6 Tablespoons (1/4 cup + 2 Tbs) green split peas 

3/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

9 cups of water 

In a large pot heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery along with a big pinch of salt. Stir to coat the vegetables in the oil and salt and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables have begun to soften and onion and celery are translucent. 

While the vegetables cook place the barley, beans, and split peas in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with water and check for stones. 

Add the rinsed barley, beans, and peas to the pot along with the water, another pinch of salt, and the black pepper. 

Allow the soup to come to a boil then cover the pot. Place the pot over the lowest flame and simmer for 3 hours. Make sure to stir the soup with a wooden spoon every 20 minutes or so to make sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom. You don't have to be so diligent about stirring during the first hour as nothing has really broken down yet. However, during hours two and three the split beans will be soft and have a tendency to get stuck to the bottom of the pot. 

The soup is done when it is slightly thick, and the beans and barley are tender. 

Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. 

This recipe makes about 4-6 portions, but I recommend doubling it and freezing it that way you can have this soup on hand for those cold winter nights. Just make sure that when you reheat the soup to add a little bit of water. 

*if you would like to make this soup gluten-free use 1/2 cup short grain brown rice in place of the pearl barley. 

*if you are unable to find baby lima beans you can use any small white bean like navy, or cannellini. 

*if you are unable to find yellow split peas you can use green split peas instead.