Vegetable and Bacon Soup

This is a delicious comfortable dish on a cold winter day.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tsp Olive Oil
• 1 Leek Trimmed
• 2 Cloves Garlic Crushed
• 4 Rashers Middle Bacon Chopped
• 1 Celery Stalk trimmed & thinly sliced
• 1 Carrot chopped
• 1 Swede chopped
• 1/2 Small Pumpkin Chopped
• 1/3 Cup Barley
• 400g Crushed Tomatoes
• 6 Cups Chicken Salt – salt reduced option better
• 1 Medium Zucchini chopped
• 2 Potatoes peeled & chopped
• 1 Tbs Fresh Basil

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook leek and garlic, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until leek has softened.
3. Add bacon, celery, carrot,potato and swede.
4. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until bacon is golden.
5. Stir in barley, tomato and stock.
6. Bring to the boil.
7. Reduce heat to low.
8. Simmer for 40 minutes or until barley has softened.
9. Stir in zucchini and pumpkin.
10. Simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
11. Add basil.
12. Stir to combine.
13. Serve.