Cream Of Barley Soup

Ingredients

• ¾ cup barley
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small piece cinnamon stick
• ½ blade of mace
• 3 pints water (reserved from boiling potatoes)
• 2 tbsp butter
• ½ pint milk, divided
• 1 egg yolk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Croutons, for serving

Method

1. 1 In a saucepan, combine barley, onion, cinnamon, mace, and the potato-boiling water. Bring to a boil.
2. 2 Reduce heat and simmer slowly for at least 3 hours until barley is very tender.
3. 3 Pass the mixture through a fine sieve back into the saucepan. Stir in butter and half the milk.
4. 4 Whisk egg yolk with remaining milk. Temper by adding a ladle of hot soup to the yolk, then stir back into pot. Do not boil.
5. 5 Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with croutons.