Steve Szabo

Minestrone style soup with egg 'en cocotte'

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 large red onion
6 rashers bacon
3 sticks celery
2 carrots
1/2 cup flour
200 g butter
1 cup tomato paste
2 lt chicken stock
1/2 cup pearl barley
6 leaves fresh basil6 eggs

Method

Melt butter in saucepan, saute onion and garlic in pot till soft, add bacon, carrot and celery. Sitr and cook for 2 minutes.

Add flour and cook till flour turns fawn colour.

Add tomato paste, stir thoroughly.

Add pearl barley then chicken stock, stir, bring to boil then simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste.

In individual earthernware dishes crack six eggs carefully. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and chopped basil and steam in a water bath till whites are firm

To serve

Pour soup into large wide bowls which have been preheated. Place the cocotte in centre.