Reprinted, with permission, from The Jewish Cookbook by Leah Koenig (Phaidon, 2019).
Mushroom Barley Soup (Krupnik)
December 08, 2021
Ingredients
- ½oz (15 g) dried porcini mushrooms
- 1cup (240 ml) boiling water
- ⅓cup (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2large carrots, finely chopped
- 2celery stalks, finely chopped
- 6garlic cloves, finely chopped
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1lb (455 g) cremini or white button mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
- 1tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1bay leaf
- 1tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, plus more as needed
- 7cups (1.65 liters) vegetable stock
- ½cup (100 g) pearl barley, rinsed
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Preparation
- Step 1
Place the dried porcini in a heatproof bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let stand until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon, rinse well, drain, and roughly chop. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, reserving the liquid and discarding any sediment.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add the porcini and cremini mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, 7-10 minutes.
- Step 3
Add the thyme, bay leaf, vinegar, soy sauce, reserved soaking liquid, stock, and barley. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender, about 40 minutes.
- Step 4
Taste, then season with a generous amount of black pepper and a little more soy sauce, if needed. Serve hot, topped with parsley.