Canned Rassolnik Base with Fresh Cucumbers and Barley

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather your ingredients. Start with the barley: rinse it well and soak it in cold water for an hour. Drain, rinse again, cover with fresh water, and set it over the heat. Cook the barley until about halfway done, 20 minutes over low heat. Drain it and transfer it to a deep pot.

2. Step 2:

   

   Meanwhile, prep and rinse the vegetables. Peel and grate the carrots, then add them to the pot with the barley.

3. Step 3:

   

   Peel the onions, cut them into small dice, and add them to the pot.

4. Step 4:

   

   On to the cucumbers — they don't have to be picture-perfect, so the ones that didn't make the cut for pickling work fine, as long as they're fresh. Trim both ends and cut them into small dice.

5. Step 5:

   

   Add them to the pot with the rest.

6. Step 6:

   

   Core and seed the bell peppers and cut the flesh into small dice. Do the same with the tomatoes. Peel the garlic cloves and finely chop them.

7. Step 7:

   

   Pour the water into the pot of barley and vegetables. Add the sugar and salt. Stir well and set over the heat. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat to a minimum and simmer about 15 minutes, then pour in the oil, bring it back to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes more. Now add the bay leaves and the vinegar. Cook the vegetables and barley 5 minutes from the time it starts boiling again.

8. Step 8:

   

   While the base simmers, prep your jars. Use a size that holds exactly enough for one pot of soup, so a whole jar gets used at once. Wash the jars with baking soda and sterilize them in the oven — pint jars need about 10 minutes at 300°F (150°C). Boil the lids, or sterilize them in the oven along with the jars, or use any method you prefer.

9. Step 9:

   

   Fill the sterilized jars with the base up to the shoulders, set the lids on top, and process them in a pot of water. Lay a towel on the bottom of the pot so the jars don't crack from the heat. Process pint jars about 10 minutes from the time the water comes to a boil, over low heat. Seal the jars and store them in a cool place. Enjoy!