Wild Mushroom Barley Soup

By Bellacucinam

Ingredients

• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 ounce dried morels
• 1 ounce dried chanterelles
• 1 cup barley
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 2 large parsnips, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 8 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 10 ounces baby spinach

Details

Adapted from planetgreen.discovery.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a small saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the dried mushrooms, remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes or until mushrooms have softened.

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat add the barley in the extra virgin olive oil. Saute the barley for 2 to 3 minutes or just until light brown. This will bring out a nutty flavor. Add the onions, the parsnip and celery and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, until the onions start to soften. Add the garlic and the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, covered, until they release their juices, about 4 minutes.

Strain the mushroom vegetable broth into the soup pot, making sure to stop before reaching the sand at the bottom of the vegetable broth pot. Add the soaked mushrooms, bay leaves, and thyme and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook for 5 minutes more.

To Serve: Remove and discard the bay leaves. If desired, season with additional salt and pepper and serve with the sourdough toast.

Yield: Makes 4 servings