Mushroom Barley Soup Made the Slow Way

Ingredients

• ¼ cup pearl barley
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 6 cups white mushrooms, halved if large
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 6 cups beef stock
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Step 1

Soak the pearl barley in some boiling water for about 10 minutes. While that’s soaking, heat up the canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrot, and cook them gently until they’re soft and fragrant, which should take around 5 to 7 minutes. Next, toss in the mushrooms and keep stirring until they’ve browned and softened, about another 5 minutes.

Step 2

Once the barley has soaked, drain off the water and add it to the pot with the veggies and mushrooms. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, mixing everything together well. Then pour in the beef stock and season the soup with oregano, salt, black pepper, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Step 3

Bring the whole pot to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer slowly for about an hour. This slow cooking really lets the flavors come together beautifully.