Recipe - Mushroom Barley Soup

Soups

Mushroom Barley Soup

Take advantage of whatever mushrooms are available in the market. The carrots can be diced or cut into rounds. Remove the string from the celery by snapping the stalk backward at the base and pulling or use a vegetable peeler.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
2 medium leeks white and light green sections, thinly sliced
1 medium shallot finely chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
½ cup celery, strings removed and sliced
Bouquet garni of 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs of thyme, 3 sprigs of parsley and
3 celery leaves
2 cups cleaned and sliced mushrooms
1 ½ cups Agribosco 10 Minute Organic Barley, rinsed under cold running water
¼ cup white vermouth or dry white wine
Pinch each of salt and pepper
8 cups boiling water
Handful each of dill and parsley, chopped
Badia a Coltibuono Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation:

Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4 SERVINGS

MAKE a MIREPOIX.
In a 3 quart Dutch oven heat the butter over medium heat until the foam subsides. Stir in the leeks, shallots, carrots and celery.
When they are coated in butter, add the bouquet garni. Lower the heat, cover the pot and sweat the vegetables until they begin to soften, 5-10 minutes.
MAKE the SOUP.
Raise the heat to medium. Stir the mushrooms into the mirepoix. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the barley. Coat the grains with butter. Add a bit more butter if necessary. Let them cook for a minute or two.
Pour the white wine into the mixture. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Give the it a couple twists from the pepper mill and a pinch of salt.
Add 8 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the barley is chewy but cooked.
Stir in a handful each of chopped dill and parsley.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil before serving.