Portabella Mushroom Barley Soup

Peggy Lampman | Contributor

The chilly air translates to hot soup for me. I'm craving mushroom barley, in particlar, but have no time to cook. Fortunately, Ann Arbor has several places where one can purchase made-from-scratch soup; Arbor Farms, The Back Alley Gourmet and The Produce Station come to mind.

I purchased a 32-ounce container of mushroom barley soup ($6.99) from the Produce Station, which was on today's race track. It was loaded with mushrooms and barley, and I added a bit of sherry to taste.

The nutty flavor and chewy texture of barley is a heavenly match with the rich, meaty flavor of mushrooms in this soup. Portobellos have a longer growing cycle than whites and criminis, resulting in an unctuous, earthy flavor. I much prefer using them to button or cremini mushrooms for long-simmering soups, such as Mushroom-Barley.

Mushroom-Barley Soup, homemade at the Produce Station, provides yummy quick dinner fix.

Here's my favorite recipe for the soup, if you've the ingredients and 15 minutes of time on your hands. It needs to simmer about 40 minutes but requires little attention, aside from the occasional stir.

Yield: 7 cups
Active Time: 15 minutes
Simmer Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
4 large portabella mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon flour
1/2 cup barley
6 cups vegetable, chicken or beef stock
1/4 cup dry sherry, optional
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Directions

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of kosher salt. Saute for 5 minutes.
2. Remove portabella stems and, with a damp cloth, wipe tops clean and dice (you should have 4 cups). Add garlic and diced mushrooms to the pan and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Sprinkle mixture with flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Stir in the stock and barley and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 35 minutes. Add sherry, if desired, and simmer an additional 5-10 minutes until barley is tender. Season with freshly ground pepper and kosher salt, if needed. Stir in minced parsley and serve.