Cold Days Hot Soup

Snowy Icy Day in Chapel Hill means Hot Soup is on the menu.
This has become a favorite in my house.

Mushroom Barley Soup
by Penny Rich
1/2 cup pearl barley

¼ dry porcini mushrooms, rehydrated*
1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

4 cups vegetable broth

3 Tablespoons soy sauce
4 Tablespoons Dry Sherry
2 cups water

2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste
In a medium pan, bring 2 cups of water and the 1/2 cup of barley to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until soft. Add the carrots and celery and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and porcini mushrooms cook 5 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, sherry any extra mushroom liquor, water, and fresh thyme. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked barley and cook for 30 minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
*To rehydrate dry mushroom – place in a Pyrex measuring cup and cover with water. Micro on high for 1 minute. Let sit for 5 minutes. Strain liquid through a coffee filter to remove sand, save the mushroom liquor. Wash mushroom to remove sand.