Mushroom and Barley Soup

When I saw Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  I knew immediately we would love this soup.  And we did!!  She found it in the Chicago Tribune, and I remember my grandmother's sister always found the best recipes in the Tribune.  This rated right up there at the top.

She made a few changes to the original, and I followed Pam's suggestions to the T.  I know this soup will be made often.  The only change I made was using the dried mushrooms I had on hand.  Last fall I bought an 8 oz. container of gourmet mushroom blend at Costco.  I have used it often and love the combination of mushrooms....morels, porcini, Brazilian caps, ivory portabella, shiitake and oyster mushrooms.  They worked beautifully in this soup and this is a much less expensive way to buy dried mushrooms.

Mushroom and Barley Soup
  from Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner


1 package (1 ounce) dried porcini mushrooms  (I used about 1 cup of my mixed blend)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound button mushrooms (I used baby portabellas)
8 cups beef stock
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 cup pearl barley
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sale and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley for garnish

Method:

Place dried mushrooms in a bowl.  Cover with 2 cups of boiling water.  Soak, submerged with a small plate for 20 minutes.  Squeeze liquid from the mushrooms and reserve the water.  Slice the mushrooms.

Slice the fresh mushrooms.  Warm oil in a large soup pot and set over medium-high heat.  Add shallots and garlic and cook until fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes.  Remove shallots mixture to a small bowl and set aside.

Add fresh mushrooms to the pot and cook until their liquid releases, about 5-8 minutes.  Stir in shallot and garlic mixture, beef stock, thyme, reserved mushroom liquid and reconstituted mushrooms.  Add Montreal Steak Seasoning and heat to a boil.

Stir in barley, reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook, partially covered until barley is tender, about 40 minutes.  Stir in balsamic vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 5 minutes.  Top with parsley and serve.

6 servings

Be sure to have some great crusty bread to go along with this great soup.  Thanks, Pam.

P.S.  I just want to add a comment about the great job that blogger is doing keeping Spam off my blog.  Today, it caught some foreign language trying to add a comment to my blog anonymously, 6 times.  I do not have the extra security code on my comments as I feel it is a waste of time for those commenting and not necessary.  Blogger does a great job all by itself.  Thanks.