Monday, April 16, 2012

Porcini Mushrooms and Barley Soup





When I did a rotation in my pantry last week I also found a jar of barley that hasn't been used in a few months. To pay my respect to this grain (I always feel guilty when I abandon some of my grains for more than two months) I made a very simple but aromatic and full of flavor soup. 
With just a handful of dried porcini mushrooms,   half a cup of barley and an onion my dinner was ready in less then an hour.

First, you need to pre-soak dried porcini for about 15-20 minutes. I usually wash any dried mushroom first from any debris, and after that I place mushrooms in a bawl and cover it with about 1 liter (1 qt) of cold water. Then I prepare all other ingredients: chop the onion, wash the barley. 
Next, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the cast iron dutch oven or a stainless still pot. 
Add the onion and stir, sprinkle with a little salt and stir again. 
Fish the mushroom from the bawl and reserve the soaking water (It should have a reach amber color). Chop the mushrooms and add to the onions. Stir a few times and add water from the mushrooms. 
To make sure there are no debris, I run soaking water through coffee filter placed inside the strainer. 
Bring it to the boil, reduce the heat to a medium and cook until barley is done (about 30-35 minutes). 
Season with salt, dried dill (optional) and serve with toasted bread (I made rosemary-garlic  crostini from homemade rye bread). Can you smell it?!


I thought I made enough soup for us to have for dinner and for the next day's lunch. Silly me, thinking I would have some leftover! I could only hear crunch-slurp-crunch-slurp... until all soup was gone. We loved it, and to our surprise, the Teenager even made a comment, that we should have this soup more often! 






I am making a list of grains in my pantry to print and stick it to my refrigerator. This way I may cook with grains not just whet I do  the next rotation in the pantry, I think... :)


How often do you use your grains? 
What grains do live in your pantry? 




See you,
Marina

45 comments:

  1. Yum this looks so good... even though it's super hot out right now this soup is exactly what I'm craving! Mushrooms and barley are such a fantastic combination.

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    1. You know,when it's hot I eat hot soup and drink hot tea, it helps me to stay cool! Funny, ha?!

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  2. I've made a similar soup but with short ribs added...so, so good! And your photos are beautiful, too~

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    1. Thank you Lizzy. Yes, short ribs would be good, smoked short ribs.

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  3. What a great combo porcini and barley. I do barley soups too. It is a very refreshing cereal and very healthy.

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    1. Yes, this two ingredients are "married" to each other!

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  4. What beautiful photos, this looks wonderful. I have barley in my cupboard right now that is a couple of months old. This soup has inspired me to use it up. Thanks!

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    1. Grains have a long shelf life, that's what I like about them. And they can be sprouted and then become a "vegetables"!

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  5. How delightfully warming and delicious combination!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  6. Dill yum! Unfortunately, I can't eat barley, but I think I have all those ingredients in my pantry! My favorite grain (if you count it a grain) is quinoa, love the stuff!!

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    1. This soup can be made with buckwheat, would taste just as good, and buckwheat is gluten free.

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  7. Answers, very often and my hubby don't live them in the pantry to long, he eats grains almost every day, jajajajaja, But my poor and yummi rice has to wait 2 month to be cook when hubby is here. What a delicious soup Marina.

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    1. Your husband is very good to himself: grains are healthy!

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  8. This soup looks amazing. The photo makes me want to stick my spoon right in there and have a taste. I had to pin it. :)

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  9. Ooh I'm loving the soup recipes-it's raining outside and all I want is a big bowl of soup!

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    1. This one will do it! Although, when it's warm, I like to have it with a pickle...:)

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  10. OOO, this is my favorite soup from back home! Thank you for bringing my memories back-)))

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  11. That soup looks good and you have presented it so well. I am not that much of a grain person other than for chick pea and green grams.
    www.thoughtsofpaps.com

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  12. Hi Marina! Thanks for confirming my quilt pattern! Your soup looks yummy! We eat a lot of wild rice here. Nothing like a tasty soup!

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    1. I don't think I've tried wild rice yet. I shell give it a try. Thanks for visiting me, Jacqueline!

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  13. Hi Marina,

    New reader here. First of all, your soup looks lovely - I like that you used dried mushrooms. These a re a pantry staple for me that sometimes get overlooked like my grains so I really appreciate the combination of the two. The grains in my pantry at the moment are barley, quinoia, and couscous.

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    1. Thanks Lyndsay! I use dried mushrooms quite often, even when I cook with the fresh ones I add a little of dried for a flavor.

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  14. The soups I remember from my childhood were always full of barley. i really enjoy eating it, especially in soup.

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    1. I love barley in soups too, especially the next day (if I am lucky): it absorbs flavor and tastes great!

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  15. That soup looks so so yummy! I'm sure it tasted amazing, a compliment from a teenager is no small thing!

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  16. first time here ...lovely blog ...glad to follow you ...very yummy and relishing soup...visit my blog www.sriyafood.blogspot.com

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  17. Your soup looks delicious and in fact, is one of my favorite soups. My recipe is similar to yours and I know why your teen thought it was great. Usually on hand in the pantry is barley, brown rice, steel-cut oats, cornmeal, wheat berries, popcorn, etc.

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    1. Thank you Pam! What do you do with wheat berries? Flour? Wheat grass?

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  18. WOW! This sounds so flavorful and delicious!! YUM!

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  19. Thank you Marina for stop bye in my cooking blog.
    I use Whole Wheat Soft Flour Tortilla for Burritos o Quesadilla.
    Hope this information help you.
    Regards
    Olguis.

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    1. Thanks Olguis! I need to find a recipe for homemade Tortilla on your blog.

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  20. WOW! Awesome. I love cooking with mushrooms because they have such a wonderful aroma and meaty flavor! Making this soup soon!

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    1. Yes, they do have great aroma, especially wild ones. I think it's one of my favorite smells in the kitchen: mushrooms!

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  21. Bet that soup freezes well. Yes, I am a lazy cook and always looking for items that freeze well, why make a single recipe when doubling or tripling takes about the same amount of time with extra for the freezer.

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    1. I am sure it does freeze well, although I've never done it. I usually freeze stock, or vegetables (shredded carrots or shredded beets) to use in cooking. That speeds up the process. But I rarely freeze a meal. We usually eat leftover in one or two days.

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  22. I have recently discovered barley soup and am loving every bit of it..Can't wait to try making this porcini mushroom and barley soup, and I am sure it will be a hit with my family too.. Thanks for stopping over and do stay in touch. I will be back hungry for more ;p.. Cheers!!

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  23. What a great soup; Love grains but do not cook with them as much as I should. Very good suggestion to make a list.
    Rita

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Your warm comments put a smile on my heart.