Barley and Brovada Soup

Prepare the brovada the day before: make it gently stew with the lardo, a small onion finely chopped and a bay leaf. Add the necessary water and season with salt to taste. Brings the mixture over low heat, stirring until the turnips They are soft and well-flavored. Let them cool and keep them aside until ready to add them to the soup.

Soak the dried beans for at least twelve hours, completely covered with water. Drain them carefully. They should be rehydrated and slightly swollen, a necessary condition for even cooking in the soup.

Finely chop the parsley, celery, and onion. Add the chopped mixture to the drained beans along with the clove of garlic and to the pork rind Pork. Transfer everything to a large pot and add twice the volume of water as beans, so you have enough liquid to cook the soup.

Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat and continue cooking over medium heatMaintain a steady, gentle boil until the beans begin to soften and the liquid takes on a vegetal aroma and a slightly thicker consistency.

Peel the potatoes, cut them into even pieces, and add them to the soup. Bring to a boil again, then continue cooking. over medium heat until the potatoes are fork-tender. Their surface should yield easily, but not completely dissolve in the liquid.

Once the potatoes are cooked, mash them directly into the pot with a fork. Process only enough to disperse some of them into the soup: the liquid should become thicker and smoother, while still maintaining the distinct presence of the beans and other ingredients.

Add the husked barley to the soup and continue cooking over medium heat until the grains are cooked. Stir during cooking to prevent the barley from settling to the bottom and make sure the broth remains sufficiently thin, as the grain tends to absorb liquid.

Season with salt to taste when the barley is cooked, then turn off the heat and add the already prepared brovada. Mix carefully and let it flavour for a few minutes with the pan still: the acidic aroma of the turnips It should spread throughout the soup without covering the flavors of the base. Serve piping hot.