Recipe- Triple Mushroom Barley Soup – Courtesy of Robyn Lane
This soup is LOVED by just about everyone who loves a deep rich mushroom flavored dish.
I use 3 types of mushrooms just to drive my point home.
My mother, and my paternal grandmother both made incredible mushroom barley soup as well as beef barley soup. In fact, both my paternal and maternal grandmothers were good cooks, as was my great grandmother Fannie.
My mother was very modest when it came to her cooking. She was so much better than she gave herself credit for. She would always say, she had a few good recipes up her sleeve, and that it was the recipes that were good, not her cooking.
Mom, I disagree, you were a huge inspiration to me. My grandmothers, aunts, and a few other relatives, and friends who were like relatives, have been my inspiration since I was 7 years old.
This is a hearty, stick to your ribs soup that can easily be converted to a beef barley or chicken barley version.
The only thing that can add to the comfort of eating a bowl of mushroom barley soup, is a nice loaf of warm bread with good European or local farm butter. No regular store-bought butter will stand up to the creaminess and butterfat content of European butter.
(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
INGREDIENTS:
2 OZ DRIED PORCINI MUSHROOMS
1 CUP DRIED PEARL BARLEY
8 CUPS CHICKEN OR VEGETABLE STOCK
4 TABLESPOONS – UNSALTED BUTTER
2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
1 LARGE YELLOW ONION DICED
4 PEELED CARROTS DICED
2 STALKS CELERY DICED
3 GARLIC CLOVES CHOPPED WELL
8 OUNCES CREMINI MUSHROOMS CHOPPED
8 OUNCES WHITE BUTTON MUSHROOMS CHOPPED
4 TABLESPOONS FLOUR
SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE.
DIRECTIONS:
Cover dried porcini mushrooms with 2 cups boiling water and let soak in a bowl for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer into a bowl because you want to save that flavorful mushroom water.
Chop up porcini mushrooms and set aside.
In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and butter over medium high heat. After the butter melts, add the onion carrots, celery, and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent and carrots and celery start to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Then add all the mushrooms including the porcini and sauté until mushrooms start to soften and brown, about 7 to 8 minutes.
Add flour and stir until completely incorporated and golden. This should take about 5 or so minutes.
Add stock, mushroom water from the porcini mushrooms, and dried barley and bring to a boil. As soon as it comes up to a boil, turn down the flame low to a simmer.
Simmer for 40 to 45 minutes until the barley is done and the soup thickens. Barley will puff up and increase in volume.
Add salt & pepper to taste.
