October is here, but you wouldn’t know it by our current weather. We have had unusually warm days off and on the last couple of weeks here in San Luis Obispo. It hit 100 degrees today, which is very atypical!
Although autumn on the central coast of California is not anything like the fall weather we had become accustomed to in the northeast, customarily the days do get a little cooler as we move through October, and some of the trees even turn color!
At this time I am always reminded of the beautiful October Glory maples that lined the street we lived on in Maryland…
Along with the chill in the air, and the fall colors always came my desire to put up a pot of soup and bake a loaf of pumpkin bread.
I suppose old habits die hard as they say because even with our warm temperatures I found myself in the kitchen putting up a pot of soup the other day! And I’m certain some loaves of pumpkin bread can’t be too far behind.
Within the next week or so our temperatures are supposed to get back to more of the Mediterranean climate we have come to love so much here. And before you know it the grapevines will turn a color reminiscent of the trees in our old neighborhood.
So I guess you could say we have traded one kind of beauty for another and feel very fortunate.
And now for the soup…
Vegetable Barley Soup with Sausage (makes 4 quarts; serves 8 to 10)
(adapted from The Barefoot Contessa’s Lentil Sausage Soup)
1 cup pearl barley
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
3 cups diced yellow onions
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 and ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups medium-diced celery
3 cups medium-diced carrots
3 quarts homemade or store bought chicken broth or stock
¼ cup tomato paste
1 pound Italian sausage, sliced about 1/3 inch thick
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese for serving
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender.
Add the celery and carrots and saute for another 10 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and barley, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the barley is cooked through and tender, but still has a bite to it.
Check for seasonings.
Add the sausage and red wine vinegar and simmer until the sausage is hot.
Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with Pecorino Romano cheese.
Note: I had some cooked Italian sausage leftover and used that. If using uncooked sausage be sure it is cooked thoroughly in the soup before serving.
Cooked diced chicken could also be substituted for the sausage.