Lifestyle
Meat-free Monday mushroom and barley soup
Try a mix of mushrooms like portobello, shiitake, oyster, or cremini to bring out the best flavours in this dish.
While soup isn’t really a summer dish, this soup doesn’t rely on heavy cream. Instead, it focuses on bringing out the natural richness of mushrooms, using simple additions like a splash of red wine vinegar and veggie stock to deepen the flavours. It works beautifully as a light lunch or a dinner when paired with a slice of crusty bread. Recipe compliments of South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association.
Ingredients
- 500 g mixed cultivated mushrooms
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 stalks celery finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 l vegetable stock
- 400 g tin diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 4 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- olive oil for cooking
- salt and pepper to taste
Method
-
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the mushrooms and thyme, and cook until golden brown.
-
Transfer the mushrooms to a rack lined baking tray. Add a fresh drizzle of olive oil and the celery, garlic, onion and carrot.
-
Cook until softened and very lightly caramelised. Sprinkle the flour all over the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes.
-
Pour in the stock, tinned tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Make sure to scrape any stuck bits of flour off the bottom of the pot.
-
Add the barley and ¾ of the sautéed mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and cook until the barley is tender- about 40 minutes.
-
Stir in the parsley and vinegar. Season well with salt and pepper.
-
Divide between bowls and garnish with the remaining sautéed mushrooms and an extra sprinkle of chopped parsley.
-
Serve with chunky toasted slices of ciabatta.
Good to know: If you have leftovers – the barley will continue to absorb the liquid of the soup overnight. So the next day just add a little more stock before reheating.
