Barley Soup

Makes 6 servings. 

This soup is a variation on the traditional MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP, which is generally made with chicken stock.

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ an ounce dried porcini mushrooms

• ¾ boiling water

• 2 garlic cloves

• 2 leeks

• 2 medium carrots

• ¾ pound shiitake mushrooms

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ cup medium pearl barley

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1 bunch fresh dill, leave some for garnish

• Kosher salt,

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Place the porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Strain the mushroom liquid through a fine mesh sieve and squeeze the mushrooms over the sieve to extract more liquid (if you do not have a mesh sieve, line a colander with paper towel). Set liquid aside. Wash soaked mushrooms carefully to remove any sand, only if needed. Chop the mushrooms coarsely. 

2. Peel the garlic and chop coarsely.

3. Cut off and discard dangling roots and tough green leaves of the leeks. Cut the white part and the light green part of the leeks into medium to small cubes. Place in a sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove the sand.  

4. Peel the carrots and cut into medium to small cubes.  Discard the shiitake stems, wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and quarter them.  

5. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, and add the garlic, leeks and carrots.. Sauté for a few minutes Add the porcini and shiitake mushrooms and stir for a minute. Add the barley, porcini liquid, vegetable broth and dill.

6. Bring to a boil over high heat, lower the heat and cook, covered, for about 40 minutes. The barley should be tender. Discard the dill.

7.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with snipped dill

Vegetable Barley Soup

Makes 8 servings.

This thick winter soup warms the heart. The barley, napa cabbage and miso give it a distinct flavor.   

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 leeks

• 4 garlic cloves

• 2 carrots

• 8 shiitake mushrooms

• Napa cabbage, about 1½ pounds  

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ cup medium pearl barley

• 7 cups vegetable broth

• 2 tablespoons white miso paste

• 1 cup tightly packed flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped  

• 10 ounces shelled frozen edamame, thawed

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Cut off and discard the roots and tough green leaves of the leeks. Cut the white part and light green part into thin slices. Place in a sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove all the sand.

2. Peel and chop garlic coarsely. Peel the carrots and slice thinly. Wipe mushroom caps, discard the stems and slice thinly.

3. Discard outer Napa cabbage leaves and cut the rest thinly.    

4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Add the carrots, mushrooms and cabbage and sauté for a few minutes more. Add the barley, broth and miso.

5. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add the parsley and edamame and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.  

6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.