Recipe : Julia Busuttil Nishimura's Stock Exchange Broth
Get this barley, cavolo nero and beef broth on the simmer this weekend.
Cook and author Julia Busuttil-Nishimura (Ostro, A Year of Simple Food) was serving up her Barley, Cavalo Nero and Beef Broth for one night at the Stock ExchangeāRISINGās street-side soup stall where guest chefs and food identities would serve their takes on the worldās iconic soups and broths.
Thankfully, we got at least one day on the stove top with Julia, who gave us her bone-warming Barley, Cavalo Nero and Beef Broth. Julia, the lovely human she is, has let us share her recipe with youāthe perfect antidote to lockdown life.
Layers of flavour

Barley, Cavolo Nero and Beef Broth
By Julia Busuttil Nishimura. Serves 4ā6
Ingredients
- 25 g butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- sea salt
- 1 Ć 650 g boneless beef shin,
- cut into three pieces
- 250 ml (1 cup) dark beer,
- such asāstout
- 200 g pearl barley
- 1 bunch of cavolo nero, tough
- stems removed, leaves washed
- thoroughly and roughly torn
- black pepper
- small handful of āat-leaf parsley
- leaves, roughly chopped
Method
Melt the butter with half the olive oil in a large frying pan over a low heat. When the butter is foaming, add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook over a very low heat for 20ā30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelised. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan over a mediumāhigh heat. Add the pieces of beef and brown really well on all sides. Pour in the beer and bring to a simmer.
Add 1.5 litres of water, bring to the boil then turn down the heat to low and simmer for about 3 hours or until the beef is tender. Check occasionally to ensure the beef is still covered, and top up with more water if necessary. Remove the beef, set aside until cool enough to handle, then shred into smaller pieces.
Meanwhile, add the pearl barley to the soup and simmer for 25ā30āminutes, or until cooked. Add the cavolo nero along with the caramelised onions and shredded beef. Simmer for 4ā5 minutes and season to taste.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve sprinkled with parsley.

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Photo Credit: Eugene Hyland / Armelle Habib