Summary
We created a soup like this for Food Not Bombs, in San Francisco, and I will always remember how happy it made everyone (except for my roommate who was pissed at me for dumping a whole bottle of her tamari into the soup. She was also pissed at me for not paying rent but that’s another matter entirely). Eating this soup makes me think I am in Mother Russia in the late 19th century; I’ve come home after strolling the promenade in Saint Petersburg and I’m getting ready to complete the next chapter of my tragic novel, but first—soup.
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried tarragon
- A few dashes fresh black pepper
- 8 cups water
- 4 medium-sized beets, peeled, cut in half, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 4 cups)
- 3/4 cup pearl barley
- 1/4 cup tamari
- 1 (15 ounce) can black soybeans, rinsed and drained (about 2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
For the pumpernickel croutons:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 slices from pumpernickel bread, cut into 1/4-inch dice