Taste & Create: Alisa’s Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup (Stew)

Alisa's Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup (Stew)

 April’s Taste & Create assignment:    partner with Alisa of One Frugal Foodie and re-create one of her posts!

April’s Taste & Create Challenges:   Posting late.  BAD NEWS:  Originally made Alisa’s Overnight Cinnamon Rolls (they were a hit).  Took pictures … great pictures … but when I tried to download to my computer …. NO PICTURES.  Surely it was not operator error.   GOOD NEWS:  I made my second choice Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup (had all the ingredients on hand except Miso cause it was my plan to make it this weekend) and I have pictures to prove it! 

Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup / Stew

• 1 Tablespoon Oil  (Alisa used grapeseed.   I used olive oil.)
• ½ Medium Onion, slivered (about 1¼ cups)
• ½ Cup Dry Barley, rinsed  (We both used the inexpensive pearl barley)
• 2 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced (or about 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic)
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
• 8 Ounces Sliced Button or Cremini Mushrooms
• 4 Cups (1 quart) Beef or Mushroom Broth  (I used beef broth)
• 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste  (I used 2 Tablespoons)
• 1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Bay Leaf
• ¼ -1 Teaspoon Salt to Taste
• 1 Teaspoon Miso Paste (or simply more salt to taste)  (I did not have Miso paste)
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste

Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until they are translucent. Reduce the heat just a touch, add the barley, garlic, and thyme, and sauté for another 3 to 5 minutes.  Stir in the mushrooms, followed by the broth, tomato paste, vinegar, bay leaf, and I would start with ¼ teaspoon of salt and the miso if using. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and allow the soup to simmer for at least 1 hour, or until the barley is nice and tender.  Season to taste with additional salt (see Alisa’s notes in the post above) and black pepper to taste.

Yields 2 hearty, meal-sized servings

Mmmm ... Mmmm ... GOOD!

When I was making Alisa’s Overnight Cinnamon Rolls, I asked her to tell me about the coconut oil she used as I had no experience with it.  She was kind enough to respond with a wonderful explanation of the product and how she uses it.  Watch for a future Cinnamon Roll post as my plans are to make them again.   My Taste & Create experience this month has been another great one!   I might never have “met” Alisa otherwise. 

Alisa leads a dairy free life.  As she explains:  “I was born with a milk allergy that I did not outgrow, and thus live dairy-free – in fact, I wrote the book on it].”   Just click on the link to view details of her book.

TASTE & CREATE APRIL:  FINALLY POSTED !