Mushroom Barley Soup

This Mushroom Barley Soup is a vegetarian take on the classic Beef Barley Soup. This soup is simply wonderful. I mean, really, really good. There are three kinds of mushrooms here, for layers of deep mushroom flavor. The shitake mushrooms have a wonderful, meaty feel in your mouth, and the barley adds a hearty nuttiness with a little bit of chewy. Perfect recipe to try on this cool snowy weekend!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 25 gr package dried shitake mushrooms

• 2 cups hot water

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 stalks celery, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced

• 1 cup oyster mushrooms, stems removed, and sliced.

• 5 cups vegetable stock

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 tsp thyme leaf

• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• ½ cup hulled barley, rinsed

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• ½ cup baby kale, or spinach, sliced into ribbons

• Salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Soak dried shitake mushrooms in two cups of hot water for 20-30 minutes

2. Over medium heat oil in a dutch oven or stockpot

3. Add onion, celery and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes

4. Add cremini and oyster mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes

5. Stir in vegetable stock, bay leaf, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce

6. Poring through a strainer, add the soaking water from the dried shitake mushrooms to the pot

7. Rinse the reconstituted shitakes and add to the pot.

8. Add barley and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes.

9. Stir in kale and apple cider vinegar

10. Season with salt and pepper

11. Serve hot