I am so ready for warm weather. But until then, I’m relishing wintry fare. Case in point: I cooked a big pot of dried barley and mushroom soup and downed a bowl for lunch and dinner nearly every day last week.
If you’re a fan of fungus, I guarantee you’ll like this dish. While it features a short list of ingredients, the finished product is rich with flavor. And recipe creator Darra Goldstein claims one taste will transport you to a Russian forest.
Dried mushroom and barley soup is hearty yet light, and hits the spot on a chilly afternoon or evening. It’s meaty (despite being plant-based) and filling, thanks to the addition of two sources of starch: potato and pearl barley. For maximum enjoyment, serve the concoction piping hot alongside a loaf of crusty bread.
Recipe adapted from Beyond the North Wind.
- 1¾ ounces dried mushrooms (see notes)
- 8 cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and then cut crosswise into ¼"-thick pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2½ teaspoons sea salt, plus more, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large Yukon Gold potato, cut into ½" cubes
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup pearl barley
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- chopped fresh dill, for garnish
- In a large bowl, cover mushrooms with water. Set a medium bowl on top of the mushrooms to keep them submerged; let stand until they are soft, about 30 minutes. Remove mushrooms from liquid and roughly chop; reserve soaking liquid.
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, about 15 minutes.
- Add chopped mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Strain reserved mushroom soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve; add to pot along with potato, bay leaves and barley. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
- Add lemon juice just before serving. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh dill.
