Mushroom And Barley Soup
serves 6-8
Mushrooms have a natural affinity for barley. A mixture of shiitake and cremini mushrooms or rehydrated dried mushrooms works well for this thick, homey soup.
Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.
4 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, peeled and diced small
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
1 medium parsnip, peeled and diced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 pound assorted mushrooms, cleaned, stems trimmed, caps sliced into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 quarts (8 cups) beef stock or vegetable stock, plus additional
1/2 cup pearled barley
1/4 cup dry sherry (optional)
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
prep: 15 minutes
total: 1 hour 30 minutes
large, heavy pot
1. In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, carrots, parsnip and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring only occasionally, until all the mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes, adding more butter if necessary.
3. Season with a sprinkling of pepper and thyme and stir to combine. Add the stock, the barley and the sherry, if desired; increase the heat to medium-high and bring almost to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially and simmer gently until the barley is completely cooked and tender, about 1 hour. Check the liquid level during simmering; if a thinner consistency is desired, add more stock. (May keep warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, for up to a couple of hours, or cover and refrigerate overnight and rewarm over low heat.)
5. To serve, garnish with parsley.
