Mushroom Barley Soup
Ancient Egyptian pharaohs thought they could confer powers of immortality. Some cultures believed they would bestow super-human strength. While other civilizations have credited them with helping find lost objects or opening doors to the spirit world. They may have been the poison that killed the Roman Emperor Claudius in 54 A.D. And that guy, Stan from your experimental college phase, just thought they could help you “ride the snake, ride the snake, to the lake, the ancient lake, baby…” The Doors, The End 1967.
Of course, I am talking about mushrooms. Eaten since the dawn of man for dietary and medicinal purposes, mushrooms are nutritional powerhouses. These fungi are packed with B vitamins and minerals such as selenium, ergothioneine, copper, and potassium. In addition, shrooms are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free, and low in sodium. So in the spirit of our ancient forefathers, I used mushrooms as the inspiration for my next delicious vegan recipe: MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP.
You see, last week while waiting for Snowpocalypse 2015 to the hit, I did what any good Southerner would do: I went to the store to stock up on groceries. But instead of fighting the throngs of panicked people vying for that last loaf of bread, I headed to the produce aisle and loaded up on shrooms to make soup. Honestly, upon consumption, no one in my family got stronger. My car keys still went missing for a day. None of us ever made it to the lake. But, we did have a delectable, nutritious dinner that kept the frigid temperatures at bay. And I will get back to you on the whole immortality thing…still waiting on that one.
Oil Free / Gluten Free / Nut Free / Soy Free Ingredients Instructions In a stockpot, bring 2 cups of the vegetable broth to a boil. Add in your barley, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the barley for 30-45 minutes or until it is tender. You might need to add a touch more liquid towards the end of the cooking process, but you want the barley to look like puffy rice when you are done with all the liquid absorbed. As the barley cooks, bring out your largest soup kettle or stock pot. Add one cup of broth along with the onions, celery and garlic. Bring this to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the veggies are soft and fragrant. Next add in the chopped mushrooms and sauté for another 5-7 minutes. Then pour in the Marsala wine and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Remove one cup of mushrooms from the pan and let them cool. Now add in the beans, herbs, spices, Northern Beans, and remaining liquid. Bring this mix to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for another 10-15 minutes allowing the beans to soften and flavors to combine. At this point, puree the soup to a creamy consistency. You can use an immersion blender or process the soup in batches using a Vitamix blender or food processor. The barley should be cooked at this point. Chop the reserved mushrooms and stir them along with the barley into the pureed soup. Cook for another 3-5 minutes to warm up the mushrooms.
** If you have kids, like mine, who are a bit squeamish around mushrooms, leave the reserved shrooms out of the soup. They will never know… I promise.
Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with fresh rosemary or parsley, and serve with crusty bread or some mixed greens.
Mushrooms Cookiing
Dinner is ready and the whole family can enjoy a healthy, hearty bowl of soup guaranteed to ward off even the coldest nights. And who knows, maybe a little spiritual enlightenment will follow. No one truly knows the power of the mystical mushroom. I say just eat and enjoy…but if you see a “seven mile snake”… you might want to double check where you got your ingredients. Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
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