SORREL-
FLAVORED MUSHROOM
BARLEY SOUP DAIRY
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- ½ cup pearl barley
- About 2 oz dried porcine mushrooms
- ¾ pound onions, chopped (3 cups)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp oil
- Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
- About ½ pound carrots, finely chopped (1
cup)
- 2 celery stalks, including leaves,
coarsely chopped, or 2 cups coarsely chopped fennel
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms
- ½ cup dry red wine
- A few fresh thyme sprigs, or ½ tsp dried
thyme
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- ½ cup finely chopped shallots, or 1 cup
chopped onions plus 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 cups tightly packed fresh sorrel ( about
6 oz), washed well, stems removed, and leaves coarsely shredded (sorrel
leaves should be crisp, bright, and unwilted-avoid torn or yellow leaves
or those with wet or soft spots; sorrel can be stored 1-2 days in
perforated bags in the refrigerator)
- Sour cream or buttermilk
- Chopped fresh dill, for garnish
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- The night before, or several hours prior
to starting the soup, soak the barley in a bowl with 1½ cups of cold
water. (Barley soaked for 5-6 hours will cook in about 15 minutes in the
soup. Unsoaked barley will absorb a great deal of the soup liquid while
cooking, so if you don't have time to soak it, par-boil it in about 3½
cups of water for about 20 minutes, then drain and add to the soup when
called for in the recipe.)
- Start the mushroom stock. Put the porcini
in a large, heatproof bowl and add 4 cups of hot water. Cover and set
aside for about 45 minutes to soften. Drain the mushrooms through a
strainer lined with paper towels or a coffee filter, reserving all the
soaking liquid. Wash the mushrooms under cold water to remove any
remaining grit, then chop them coarsely and set aside.
- While the porcini are soaking, in a
6-quart Dutch oven or large, heavy saucepan, sauté the onions in
the butter and 1 tbsp of the oil over moderately high heat. Stir
occasionally at firs, then more frequently as they begin to caramelize,
until they are very fragrant and colored a rich butterscotch gold, about
15 minutes. Salt and pepper lightly, then add the carrots, celery or
fennel, and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are softened and
dotted with gold and deep bronze, 10-15 minutes. Wipe the shiitakes
clean with a damp paper towel. Cut off the stems flush with the caps.
Slice the caps thinly and set them aside, covered with plastic wrap, for
finishing the soup. Trim off and discard the tough woody end of the
stems. Slice the stems and add them to the sautéed vegetables along
with the wine, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the porcini soaking liquid,
thyme, and salt and pepper to taste, bring to a boil, and then simmer
gently, partially covered, for about 1 hour. Strain the mixture through
a wire mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing down hard on the solids
with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard
the solids and set the strained mushroom stock aside.
- Wash out the saucepan and dry it
thoroughly. In it heat the shallots (or alternatively the onions and
garlic) in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil (or use 1 tablespoon each
of butter and oil) until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved
sliced shiitake caps and sauté over moderately high heat until they're
nutty and aromatic and bronzed at the edges. Stir in the soy sauce and
chopped porcini and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes, evaporating
all the liquid. Add the reserved mushroom stock. Drain the barley and
add it, along with the sorrel and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a
boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the barley is very tender.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
- To serve, spoon a dollop of sour cream
into each bowl, then ladle in the soup, stirring until smooth. Or gently
warm some buttermilk (don't let it boil or it will curdle) and stir 3-4
tablespoons of it into each bowl of hot soup. When enriched with
buttermilk, the soup is also delightfully refreshing served tepid, so
you need not go to the trouble of heating the buttermilk on sultry
summer days. Garnish with chopped dill.
- Yield: About 6 Servings.
- Cook's note: The barley will literally
drink up all the broth if allowed to remain in the soup. To reserve any
leftover soup, be sure to separate the solids from the broth and
refrigerate both individually.
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ENJOY!
Source:
The Gefilte Variations by Jayne Cohen
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