Warm up with Mushroom and Barley Soup (recipe, pareve)

MUSHROOM AND BARLEY SOUP P SERVES: 8-10

This soup is brimming over with flavor oozing from carrots, parsnips, turnips, onions and yes, mushrooms.

Prep time: 30 min.  Simmering time: 60 min.

Ingredients           

6 carrots                       

1 each large: leek, onion, parsnip, turnip

1 pound white potatoes

1 pound mushrooms

½ cup barley

½ cup vegetable oil

8 cups fresh/boxed vegetable broth

3 bay leaves

6 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

12 cup soup pot with cover

Directions

1. Halve leek lengthwise and wash carefully. Slice white and pale green parts. Set aside.
2. Peel onion, parsnip and turnip. Dice vegetables and add to leeks.
3. Peel carrots and cut them into ¼ inch slices. Add to other vegetables.
4. Wipe, trim stems and slice mushrooms. Add to vegetables.
5. Peel and dice potatoes. Set aside.
6. Pour vegetable oil in soup pot. Heat over medium flame. Add vegetables and saute until onions are translucent.   Add potatoes, barley, stock, and bay leaves to the pot. Cover, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook one hour or until vegetables are very tender. Add dill. Taste. Add salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot.

Note: As with other soups made with grains, it is best to strain the broth from the solids when you make the soup a day in advance of serving it. If you choose not to do this, know that the barley will absorb much of the liquid and the soup will thicken. In this case, you can add more pareve vegetable broth or water to thin the soup until it reaches the desired consistency.