Simple Soup

When winter weather hits and you are tempted to hibernate, isn't it a wonderful and comforting thing to have homemade soup?

I made this soup as a hearty and salt-free gift for my father. He, like so many others, watches his sodium intake carefully. Have you ever read the label of an inexpensive can of soup? 35% or more of your daily sodium requirement in one serving! And when you become conscious of your sodium intake anything over-flavoured with salt leaves your mouth dry and gasping for alternatives. That's why homemade soup, started with love and quality ingredients is always far superior.

I chose to start this soup with a ribeye steak. Ribeye is very tender and fairly fatty. It is not a typical tough soup or stew cut of beef. I selected it so that every bite of steak was a reward, not just a chewy chunk. It was the star of the show, as it should be.

The broth was favoured with two types of onions, celery, garlic and carrots. I used a variety of coarse and fresh peppers to add a bit of spice. Later I added soaked organic barley.

This beef barley soup, served with fresh rolls or rye bread could be the perfect answer to the winter chill you are feeling.