Barley & Mushroom Soup
Original recipe source: All-American Waves of Grain by Barbara Grunes and Virginia Van Vynckt
Revised jg
Ingredients:
1 cup dried wild mushroom blend
2 T canola or corn oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound button mushrooms
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 cup hulled or pearl barley
2 carrots, sliced
2 bay leaves
¾ tsp. dried marjoram
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 T chopped oregano
1 T chopped sage
Procedure:
Reconstitute the mushrooms by soaking them in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. The mushrooms will be soft and pliable when ready. Drain, rinse, and slice the mushrooms. Set aside. Heat the oil in a soup pot or other large pot. Saute the garlic and onion over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally. Add the wild and white mushrooms; continue cooking for about 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, barley, carrots, bay leaves, marjoram, salt and pepper.
Bring the soup to a boil, reduce to a simmer, partially cover, and continue cooking for 1 hour or until the barley and vegetables are tender and the flavors are blended. Stir in the sage and oregano.
Taste the soup to adjust the seasonings. Discard the bay leaves. Ladle the soup into shallow soup bowls and serve hot.
Variation: For a creamy, rich soup, heat 2 T. butter in a small saucepan.
Whisk in 2 T. whole wheat flour until absorbed. Stir in ¾ cup milk and continue cooking over medium heat, whisking, until the sauce thickens. Stir the sauce into the soup and heat through.
