Autumnal Mushroom & Kale Minestrone

By ltrodrigu

Ingredients

• 5 ounces baby portobello mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 cups water
• 1 ounce dried porcini
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1/2 delicata squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 1/2 ounces shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup pearled barley
• 2/3 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups kale, shredded
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Details

Adapted from online.wsj.com

Preparation

Step 1

Finely chop portobellos. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once oil is warm, add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and just beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add water and porcini. Decrease heat to low, cover pot and simmer gently until porcini are soft and broth is dark, 30 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove porcini from broth and discard.

Stir in stock, carrots, squash and chopped portobellos. Continue simmering until squash is soft and portobellos have begun to melt into broth, about 15 minutes. Taste broth and season with salt and pepper. Add shiitake and button mushrooms and barley to soup, cooking until barley is plump and just slightly chewy, about 30 minutes. Stir in chickpeas and kale, and simmer until kale and barley are soft, another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan.