Mushroom Barley Soup

I am sure I have said this before, I love a good soup in winter or just as the weather is turning cold.  It warms you up from the inside and is an easy comfort food.  I used to make a homemade tomato and potato soup with whatever I had on hand.  My husband was not so fond of that soup, so as is usual for me, I wanted to venture out to find some soups that he would enjoy with me.  We both like mushrooms, so that was a good place to start.  I made this soup when he was away on a business trip, but when he returned he tried it, liked it and actually asked for it again later.  It is based on the recipe in Homemade Winter by yvette van boven.

This soup starts with aromatics.

And they smell so good when you begin cooking (hence the name).

This is after adding the mushrooms before they have released their moisture.

Mushroom Barley Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 white or yellow onion

2 stalks celery, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

16-18 ounces mushrooms (I like crimini, but you can use white button or a mix), chopped

1/2 barley (or farro)  (you can make with this rice to be gluten free)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

5 cups vegetable stock

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook until the onion starts to become brown.  Add the garlic and fresh mushrooms.  Stir frequently until the mushrooms release their moisture.  Add the barley (or farro) and turn up the heat so the grain can absorb the liquid.   Stir in tomato paste.  Add the vegetable stock.  Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and simmer over a low heat for about 35 minutes or until the barley (or farro) is tender.

Farro and Lentil Soup

This past winter I have experimented with lentil recipes.  This was one of them that I tried.  I have mixed feelings about lentils as sometimes I really like them and sometimes they just aren't very good.  This recipe definitely falls into the very good category.  It is one of the reasons I still have lentils in my house.  I want to have more recipes that make me like lentils, so I can make more soups/dishes with them as I find them filling, tasty and healthy.  The other part of this recipe that I like is the farro.  I have been obsessed with farro for more than a year and I am always happy to integrate it into recipes which I didn't have to do for this one.

This soup is based off a recipe in Bough, Borrowed and Stolen by Allegra McEvedy.  This is quite an interesting cookbooks as each chapter focuses on a different part of the world where she traveled to and wanted to replicated in this book.  I like it as it has several recipes for a place and because I like to cook different and interesting recipes from around the world.

Farro and Lentil Soup
5 oz. smoked bacon, cut into pieces (mine were about 1/4 inch thick)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced finely
2 sticks of celery, roughly chopped (with leaves)
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 generous pinch (or two) of red pepper flakes
6 oz. lentils (small lentils)
3 oz. farro
2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the onions and bacon.  Put on a lid and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  After a minute or two, add the celery, rosemary, garlic, red pepper flakes and a pinch or two of salt.  Meanwhile, rinse the lentils and farro and then add them to the saucepan.  After about 2 minutes, add the chicken stock.  Stir everything together and place the lid on (allowing for steam to escape).  Bring the mixture to a simmer.  After about 20-30 minutes your lentils and farro should be cooked.  Remove half the soup and place in a blender (to thicken the soup) and return it to the saucepan.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Let it simmer for another 5 minutes (lid on, but allowing for steam to escape).  Serve with a drizzle of good quality olive oil on top.