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SERVES:
4-6

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium large beets, roasted or boiled ahead of time


• Beet greens from 6-8 beets (see hints below) 4 cups chopped greens total


• 4 cups vegetable stock


• 2 cups water


• 1 cup diced sweet onion (Vidalia or Texas or Mayan Sweet)


• 1/2 cup peeled, diced carrot


• Olive oil for sautéing veggies


• 1 cup pearl barley


• 1/2 tsp dried thyme


• 1 cup dry white wine (optional)


• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)

PROCEDURE:

Combine 4 cups of vegetable stock and 2 cups of water in a pot on the stove and bring that to a simmer.

Just as that does come to a simmer, put another large, heavy bottomed pan on the stovetop, on medium high heat, add a good splash of olive oil to that and add 1 cup of diced sweet onion and 1/2 cup peeled diced carrot and get those going.

Once the onions are soft, add 1 cup pearl barley and 1/2 tsp dried thyme and cook that along for a minute or two.

Classically, at this point, you'd add a cup of white wine and let that cook down but we'll skip that today and start adding the broth a ladle or two at a time.

Stir that occasionally and then add another ladle at a time as it is absorbed by the barley.

At some point you'll need to take a minute to dice the already roasted beets and also chop the beet greens if you're using them.

The barley will take 30-40 minutes to soften up and then add approx. 4 cups of chopped beet greens...let those cook down...and then add 1 1/2 – 2 cups diced roasted beets....add as much grated parmesan cheese as you like and, once it is warm all the way through, it is good to go.

Serve it up with more grated parmesan cheese over the top.

HINTS:

Buy beets with the beet greens attached and, if you don't end up with as many greens as you need, add or substitute other greens like spinach or Swiss Chard instead.

Roast the beets in a 350 degree oven, unpeeled, in a baking dish with 1/4 inch water, covered with aluminum foil, until a knife is easily inserted into the center.

Then peel under cold water and slice into bite size pieces. Or, alternatively, boil in water, unpeeled until soft to the center. Either way, you can do this a day or two ahead of time.