Mushroom and Barley Soup

I'm generally not a big fan of soups, but this one pleasantly surprised me. Shiitake mushrooms added a nice meaty texture that complimented the barley. To be honest, the oyster mushrooms just blended into the background so I probably won't use those again. My boyfriend says I didn't make enough. Next time, I'll double the recipe!

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 lb mixed Mushrooms, chopped
1 large Shallot, minced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
2 Cups Spinach, cleaned and torn roughly
1/2 Cup Hulled Barley
Salt
Pepper
1/2 tsp dried Thyme
4 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Cups Water

Heat the chicken broth in a soup pot over medium high heat. Rince the barley and add to the broth along with 1/2 tsp of salt and the thyme. Bring to a slight boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. In the meantime, heat 1 Tbsp of butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and stir frequently until they are tender. Heat an additional Tbsp of butter. Add the shallots, garlic and 2 healthy pinches of salt. Cook until the shallots are soft (a few minutes). Add the mushroom mixture to the barley pot along with the celery, spinach and water. Cover and simmer over medium low for 20 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

The Enlightened Palate

Mushroom and Barley Soup