Title: Quick-Cooking Mushroom-Barley Soup
Categories: Veg08
Yield: 5 servings

1 tb Olive or canola oil
1 1/2 c Coarsely chopped onions
OR thinly sliced leeks
1 1/2 ts Minced garlic
6 c Boiling water
1/4 c Tomato paste
3 tb Instant vegetable stock
-powder
1/2 c Quick-cooking barley;
-(generous 1/2 cup)
1/2 oz Sliced dried mushrooms;
-(about 1/2 cup)
Quickly rinsed or
-reconstituted if sandy
3 lg Carrots; trimmed
And cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 lg Ribs celery; trimmed
And cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 ts Dried dill; up to 3
1/2 ts Dried thyme
1/2 ts Salt; or to taste
2 tb Dry sherry; up to 4
OR 1 to 2 teaspoons balsamic
-vinegar; (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper;
-to taste

Prep: about 15 minutes cooking: 15 to 25 minutes

The soup is tasty after about fifteen minutes of cooking, but if you have
time to simmer it for ten minutes longer, you'll get that wonderful creamy
thickness that is the essence of any great mushroom-barley soup. Serve the
soup with fresh onion rolls.

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onions and
garlic for 1 minute, stirring frequently Add the boiling water, tomato
paste, stock powder, barley, mushrooms, carrots, celery, 2 teaspoons dill,
the thyme, and salt. Stir well and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat,
and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add up to 1 teaspoon more dill if you
like. Cover and simmer until the vegetables and barley are tender, about 5
more minutes. If you wish, enhance the flavor with either sherry or
balsamic vinegar, and add black pepper to taste.

Makes 5 to 6 servings

Per Serving: 157 calories, 4g protein, 28g carb, 3.5g fat, 6g fiber. 2 WW
POINTS

Recipe by: Lorna Saas' Short-Cut Vegetarian, page 56

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