This is a hearty and delicious soup adapted from ChickInTheKitchen who in turn adapted it from Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 ribs celery with leaves, cut in halve lengthwise and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 qt. vegetable stock
1 lb. Baby Bella mushrooms (or another kind), sliced
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in hot water (save the water)
1 c. pearl barley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper

Preparation

Rehydrate the dried porcini mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups of hot water.  When the porcini are moist and soft, pour off and save the water being careful to leave behind any grit that may have been on the mushrooms.  If your porcini are gritty (many are), wash them several times in several changes of cold water to remove as much grit as possible.

Heat a large heavy bottom pot, add the olive oil warm to medium heat.  Add the chopped onions and cook over moderate heat stirring frequently until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, celery, carrots and mushrooms.  Continue cooking at moderate heat and stirring frequently for 10 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth, saved mushroom water, barley, salt, pepper and thyme.  Bring to a boil at high heat, then reduce the heat to simmer and cook stirring occasionally for 45 minutes.  The amount of salt you need will vary with the sodium content of our vegetable broth.

Nutrition

8 servings