Barley Mushroom Soup

[Guest guest]

Before I go back to bed, I found the barley-mushroom soup recipe I've used for a

long time. Try it, it's good. It's also on the stove right now. If I remember

correctly, I either got the original recipe from one of Wayne Gisslen's

Professional Cooking books or my ancient Art of French Cooking.

 

The soup will be light in color and despite being a simple soup without

a lot of ingredients, depends on technique to get it right. From start

to finish, the most this will take is about a half hour. The flavors

come from your most excellent vegetable stock and perfectly cooked

simple veggies. You won't be adding lots of herbs and things to take

center stage.

 

Barley Mushroom Soup

1 cup barley, cooked and drained (I use pearled barley since that is what I can

find here)

1 medium/large onion, diced finely

2 - 3 or whatever carrots, scrubbed and diced finely

2 medium/large red or golden potatoes, peeled and diced finely or a small

turnip, peeled and diced

4 tablespoons butter or margarine - adds a pleasing mouth feel and really is

nicer than oil in this

2 pounds fresh mushrooms, wiped and diced

4 to 5 quarts vegetable broth (this is an all-important ingredient, use your

best tasting, lightest and most perfect veggie broth, not bouillon cubes.)

 

While the barley is cooking, dice the onion, carrots, potatoes and mushrooms.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet and saute the onion, carrots and

potatoes over a low temperature. You want them to sweat and cook halfway but not

brown. You will cook the mushrooms separately. After they are half cooked, add

them to the boiling vegetable stock. Turn the stock down to simmer.

 

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet and cook mushrooms

without browning.

 

Add the cooked mushrooms and cooked, drained barley to the vegetable stock. Let

simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.