Barley and black mushroom soup
6 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| ⅓ | cup | Pearl barley |
| 10 | Dried Chinese black mushrooms (1/2 oz, abt 1/2 cup) | |
| 3 | cups | Hot water |
| 1½ | tablespoon | Canola oil |
| 6 | (to 8) shallots or | |
| 1 | small | Onion(s) (1/2 cup finely chopped) |
| 4 | Scallions white part minced greens thinly sliced for garnish | |
| 4 | Garlic clove(s), minced | |
| 3 | cups | (to 4 cups) vegetable stock or mushroom stock |
| ¼ | cup | Dry white vermouth or dry sherry |
| Salt and pepper | ||
| 2 | Carrots cut in 1/4\" dice (1 cup) | |
Directions
1. Soak the barley in 4 cups cold water for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Drain the barley.
2. Soak the mushrooms in 3 cups hot water for 20-30 minutes or until soft. Remove and discard the mushroom stems, reserving the soaking liquid. thinly slice the mushroom caps.
3. Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan. Cook the shallot, scallion white, and garlic over medium heat until soft but not brown, 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the mushroom soaking liquid, 3 cups vegetable stock, the barley, vermouth, and salt and pepper and simmer the soup, covered, for 30-40 minutes, or until the barley is soft. Add the carrots during the last 15 minutes. Add stock as necessary to maintain a soupy consistency.
5. To serve, correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle the soup into bowl and sprinkle with the chopped scallion greens.
High-Flavor, Low-Fat Vegetarian Cooking by Steven Raichlen pg 36 Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 10-26-95