To Make the Stock
- 3 pounds meaty lamb bones (we bought “bone-in lamb stew” at our local market. They looked like thick cuts taken from a lamb shank)
- 1 large onion peeled and quartered, about 3/4 pound
- 1/4 cup shallots peeled and roughly cut up (2 1/2 ounces)
- 1 large rib of celery with leaves cut into quarters
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 4 whole leafy stems of parsley
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 whole black peppercorns
- 4 quarts water (1 gallon)
To Make the Soup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lamb fat, skimmed from the cooled stock
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 8 ounce container cremini mushrooms sliced (baby bella)
- 6 cups lamb stock from stock above
- 1 16–ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1/2 cup dry pearl barley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Lamb meat picked from making stock (our stock yielded about a pound of meat)
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Additional chopped fresh parsley, as garnish