Wild Mushroom and Barley Soup

I'm obsessed with soup and in Boston I used to go to The New England Soup Factory with Ryan and Nic every Sunday.  When I think of those cold and snowy winters I endured it just isn't complete without some soup.  Ryan and Nic came out to visit this week from good ol' Beantown and I decided to make a recipe from the NSF book to not only pay a little homage to them but also for a little revitalization.


I have actually never enjoyed this particular soup at the restaurant because I was too busy stuffing my face with their chicken pot pie soup but I think the Soup Factory can do no wrong.  I didn't quite have all the correct mushrooms listed but I had 2 of the 4 including the portobello which was the most important ingredient.  The soup has such a rich meaty flavor because of the portobello that you don't even miss the meat and the recipe could be prepared vegetarian if vegetable broth is substituted.  I didn't have chanterelles or shiitakes and opted for the "Chef's Sampler" at Whole Foods because it was quick and easy and I've never met a mushroom I didn't like.  Judging from brief internet research, I think I used armillaria something or other.  This soup was actually delicious with a little heat added in the form of sriracha, but really, what isn't delicious with sriracha?

Soup and a sandwich

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups diced onions

1 1/2 cups sliced or diced carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

3 large portobello mushrooms, diced

1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 cup chanterelle mushrooms

1 1/2 cup pearl barley

2 1/2 quart chicken or beef stock

2 cups Burgundy wine

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

3 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup enoki mushrooms
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

mushrooms

Heat a stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and garlic.  Stir quickly, then add the onions, carrots and celery.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Add the portobellos, shiitakes, and chanterelles.  Saute for 5 more minutes.  Add the barley, stock, Burgundy, oregano, basil, and tomato paste.  Stir well to combine.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer 45 minutes to an hour.

Remove from heat.  Stir in the enoki and mushrooms and season with vinegar, salt, and pepper.  Makes 10 to 12 servings.