Barley And Kale Topped With Egg Recipes

Steps:

• Cook onion and garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt in oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, discard stems from mushrooms. Halve caps, then thinly slice crosswise. Add mushrooms and thyme to onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, stock, barley, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and simmer briskly, covered, stirring occasionally, until barley is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook 1 minute, then season with salt.
• Meanwhile (if using eggs), bring 2 quarts water to a simmer with vinegar and 1 tablespoon salt in a wide medium saucepan.
• Break 1 egg into a cup and slide into water. Repeat with remaining eggs, spacing evenly. Poach at a bare simmer until whites are firm and yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels using a slotted spoon.
• Serve soup in bowls, topped with eggs.

Steps:

• Fry bacon in a 3qt sauce pan, remove and crumble into a bowl when cooked thorugh and crumbly.
• In the same pan that you cooked the bacon, cook the onions, mushrooms and minced garlic in the bacon grease until soft, 5-10 minutes. Remove and add to the bowl with the crumbly bacon. Set aside in the refrigerator for later.
• In the same pan, add the barley and toast for approximately 1 minute.
• Add the water and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
• Cook barley until soft, 45-60 minutes.
• Turn the stove top off, but do not remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir in the bacon and onion mixture, then add the kale and lemon juice.
• While the kale is slightly wilting, fry up the eggs in a 12 inch skillet.
• Serve each portion of the barley and kale, topping with fresh parmesan cheese and a fried egg on each.