Mushroom Barley Soup
Mushroom barley soup is thick and creamy and makes a wonderful meal with crusty bread. This classic Jewish deli soup is hearty and delicious!
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ounce dried mushrooms
- 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 2 large shallots, minced, about a cup.
- 1 cup finely sliced inner celery stalks (and leaves)
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 1/4 cup flour
- 48 ounces chicken stock or vegetable broth
- a sprig of fresh sage leaves
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream (evaporated milk or cashew cream can also be used.)
garnish
Instructions
- Put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl or jar and pour boiling water over them to cover. Stir well, and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain and rough chop the mushrooms and set aside. Note: the soaking water is full of flavor and can be added to the soup, but first you must remove any sediment. The best way to do this is to strain the liquid through a filter like a coffee filter which will trap the fine sediment.
- While the mushrooms are soaking bring a pot of water to a boil and add a teaspoon of salt. When the water boils add the barley and boil gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the barley is tender but not mushy. Drain.
- While the barley is cooking brush any dirt from the fresh mushrooms. Trim the stem ends and chop half of the quantity of mushrooms. Thinly slice the remaining half. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and saute the shallots and celery for a couple of minutes. Add the fresh and dried mushrooms to the pot and sauté everything for about 10 minutes, stirring often, while the mushrooms lose their moisture and brown a bit.
- Add the sherry to the pan and let it bubble to evaporate for a minute or two.
- Sprinkle the flour into the pot and stir to cook briefly.
- Slowly add the chicken stock to the pan, along with the fresh sage, stirring as you add it. Bring the stock up to a simmer, stirring often as it heats and thickens slightly. Add salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste.
- Add the barley to the pan, along with the cream. Mix everything together. Let simmer, partially covered, for several minutes to allow the flavors to mingle.
- Taste to adjust the seasonings and then serve with a shower of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and more fresh cracked black pepper.
Notes
The soup thickens upon standing, so feel free to add more stock, cream, or water to thin it down. Likewise when reheating leftovers.
Nutrition
Calories: 289 kcal · Carbohydrates: 37 g · Protein: 10 g · Fat: 12 g · Saturated Fat: 6 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g · Trans Fat: 0.2 g · Cholesterol: 31 mg · Sodium: 334 mg · Potassium: 668 mg · Fiber: 5 g · Sugar: 6 g · Vitamin A: 350 IU · Vitamin C: 2 mg · Calcium: 66 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Did You Make This?We love seeing what you've made! Tag us on social media at @theviewfromgreatisland for a chance to be featured.