Serves 6-8

• 1 cup dried black beans
• 1 cup dried blue corn posole (or white)
• 1 cup black barley
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 small/med head garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup green chile (I used medium)
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 6-8 cups water
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 2+1/2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon adobo chile powder
• 1+1/4 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika, divided
• 1+1/4 teaspoon cumin, divided
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1 bunch cilantro (I use 10-15 large leaves per serving)

1. Soak black beans and blue corn posole (separately) overnight, and rinse well. Some people recommend bringing the posole to a boil and then draining it and rinsing it again, but I couldn’t find any decisive answer as to whether you need to, and we never have before – so do it it you want, or skip it.
2. Combine the posole with 2 cups water, 1 cup broth, onion, garlic, green chili, 1 tsp Mexican oregano, 1 tsp adobo, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp hot smoked Spanish paprika, salt to taste, and 8 grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let simmer (but make sure it’s bubbling so things cook) for 1 hour.
3. Add 2 cups broth, 4 cups water, black beans, black barley, 1+1/2 tsp Mexican oregano, 1 tsp cumin, 3/4 tsp hot smoked Spanish paprika, and the lime juice. Add the cloves only if you like cloves – skip otherwise.
4. Bring back to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours. Stir every 15 minutes or so, and add an up to an additional 2 cups of water over time if the soup gets thicker than you want.
5. Taste for salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro.