Submitted by: Joe Jerse
Here is Grandma Mary Jerse's recipe for Barley Soup, referred to in Slovenian as "Yishplain" (phonetic).
Sausage Shoppe Cottage Ham, 1½ to 2 lbs. in weight.
1½ quarts of water
1 15 oz. can of Tomato Sauce
¾ cup Barley, washed
1 clove of Garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 peppercorns
¼ teaspoon Mace
3 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery cut into small pieces
1 small onion, chopped
Place in large pan, bring to a boil. Simmer covered. After 1¼ hours, remove the Cottage Ham. Continue cooking soup for one more hour.
As Grandma Mary cooks it, the Cottage Ham becomes tender and delicious. The soup thickens over the course of days in the refrigerator. Sticks to your ribs, good comfort food as the weather gets colder.