Recipes Soup Vegetable Soup Zucchini and Spinach Soup with Barley, Coriander and Watercress 5.0 (3,285) Add your rating & review Chef Justin Cogley of Aubergine in Carmel, CA adds barley to this lovely, delicate, spring-like soup, which makes it hearty but not heavy. Plus: More Best New Chefs By Justin Cogley Justin Cogley Won Best New Chef At Aubergine, Carmel, CA Why He’s Amazing Because he combines ultra-seasonal ingredients with flavors from his world travels, creating a menu that changes nightly and that’s purely Northern California. Born 1978; Erie, PA Culinary School The Western Culinary Institute (Portland, OR) Background Charlie Trotter’s (Chicago) Quintessential Dish Abalone and oyster with pickled sea beans and wild sea lettuce on a braised pig’s tail cake Previous Career In his early 20s, Cogley toured the world as a professional figure skater with Disney on Ice. “We had so much downtime when the show was being transferred to different cities—it could take as long as a month. We’d eat out wherever we could.” On His Transition From Skater To Chef “It was very natural. I was so used to working long hours. Restaurants were a natural fit for me.” Takeaway From Charlie Trotter’s Precision and spontaneity: Cogley’s dishes look like tiny scenes from nature—seemingly unscripted but composed.Story of Discovery “Before he became a chef, Justin Cogley was a professional ice skater who toured the world and ate everywhere, keeping a record of the most interesting flavors. He clearly hasn’t forgotten them: The international influences on his $98, four-course prix fixe menu are astonishing. He garnishes a Monterey Bay abalone steak with slivers of the tart pickled Japanese fruit umeboshi, local sea grapes and imported fresh hijiki. I was knocked out by the boldness of just-cooked Japanese kanpachi (amberjack) with peeled dates and a vanilla-and-Sichuan-peppercorn broth. I would never have guessed that a skating career would be the key to such remarkable food.”—Kate Krader Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 7, 2019 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Marcus Nilsson Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins Yield: 6 Ingredients ½ cup pearled barley Kosher salt 3 tablespoons chives (finely chopped) Freshly ground pepper 1 ½ teaspoons coriander seeds 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil ½ cup shallots (thinly sliced) 2 pounds zucchini (halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise) 2 bay leaves ½ cup baby spinach (lightly packed) ¼ cup parsley leaves (lightly packed) ¼ cup plain whole milk yogurt 4 ounces watercress (thick stems discarded) 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil Finely grated lemon zest (for garnish) Directions In a medium saucepan, cover the barley with 1 1/2 cups of water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over moderately low heat until the barley is tender and the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Stir in the chives and season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the coriander seeds over moderate heat, tossing, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a spice grinder and let cool, then grind into a powder. In a large saucepan, melt the butter in the grapeseed oil. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and ground coriander and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the coriander is fragrant and the zucchini just starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups of water and the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is very tender and the water is just slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth; add the spinach, parsley and yogurt to the last batch. Return the soup to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, toss the watercress with the olive oil and season lightly with salt. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the barley and watercress. Garnish with lemon zest and serve. Make Ahead The barley and pureed soup can be refrigerated separately overnight. Suggested Pairing This bright green, herb-scented soup needs a white wine that’s fragrant and minerally, like Pinot Grigio from northern Italy. Rate it Print