Mushroom soup recipe advice, please - not thrilled with barley

C

colleenmomof2

Well-known member
We loved this soup but not-so-much the barley. I can't remember the last time I cooked with barley or, for that matter, ate anything with barley in it. I'm thinking that the barley was undercooked but it shouldn't have been. Maybe Kroger store brand not as good? Without the barley the soup would be too brothy so I could cut back on stock or add more veggies? Substitute potatoes or pasta? Add meat and mixed veggies instead of barley?

Mushroom Soup (adapted from Food and Wine)

2 carrots, diced

1 celery rib, diced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 cup sliced leeks (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp dry thyme

1 Tbs tomato paste (optional)

1 Tbs butter

1/2 -3/4 pound cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced then into dice

4-5 cups defatted beef stock or low-sodium broth

1 can Consommé

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup pearled barley

1 bay leaf

salt and ground pepper

Flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish

In a large saucepan, spray oil. Saute the carrot, celery, onion, (leeks), thyme until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Scrape into bowl. Spray oil, add butter and mushrooms. Saute until slightly cooked, in batches if necessary. Combine the beef stock, consommé, & wine with mushrooms in saucepan. Add back veggies, barley and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover partially and simmer over moderately low heat until the barley and vegetables are tender, 30 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with parsley and serve.

 
Maybe the kind of barley? Pearl is the quicker cooking barley that is listed in

the recipe. Is that what you used? And barley can be sort of chewy even if well cooked.
If you want a sub, you could add orzo and only cook it for about 15 minutes at the end. Even rice.

Pearl barley has been polished to remove the bran and possibly even the endosperm layers, resulting in a pale, creamy-colored grain. It is less chewy and cooks faster than the hulled variety, but has less fiber, is less nutritious, and is not considered a whole grain. Most people are familiar with pearl barley, especially as an ingredient in beef-barley soup.

 
Perhaps the barley was too old?

Much like dried beans, barley gets too dried out and won't soften no matter how much it is cooked, if it is too old.

I have a mushroom soup recipe that is thickened slightly with a roux and then it has some rice added and the rice breaks down and adds to the thickness.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Fresh Mushroom Soup

Recipe By :Lincoln House Country Inn, Maine
Serving Size : 12
Categories : Soups & Stews Tried & True

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

9 Cups Chicken Stock
1/4 Cup Tamari Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
2 Bay Leaves
1 Teaspoon Fresh Parsley -- minced
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Thyme -- crumbled
1/4 Cup Butter
4 Medium Onions -- minced
2 Pounds Mushrooms -- sliced
1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper
1/4 Cup Rice
Snipped Fresh Chives

Simmer first 6 ingredients in large saucepan for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir until liquid is released. Add flour and stir 3 minutes.

Strain stock. Slowly stir into mushroom mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to boil. Mix in rice. Reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.) Garnish with chives.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 111 Calories; 4g Fat (37.0% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 10mg Cholesterol; 1989mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : Recipe can be halved easily.

 
We liked farro, but be careful. There is a type that is pre-something. Let me look it up. It cooks

to a better consistency (in my opinion).

Okay, it's PEARLED or SEMI-PEARLED FARRO, which is slightly processed and comes packaged (takes 15-25 minutes to cook). I found that when I bought loose farro directly from the bulk bin it took a LOT longer to cook (40-50 min) and never got quite as tender. That must have been the whole farro.

 
It has been experience with Farro that it remains toothsome, a quality that I like

and I have read that is the correct way it should be used, I have never had the pearled Farro so cannot compare, but I do like the nutty taste and texture in a rich mushroom, beef broth, and shallot risotto type dish.
Toasted Israeli Couscous might be good with this soup. I buy my barley from a grain mill and it is called Plump Soup Barley. It is large and it wonderful in soups.

 
Yes it was pearled barley

but Kroger store brand. I think it was undercooked. I'll try another 1/2 cup in a soup I will cook longer. Thanks for suggesting orzo - I have some that I can use. Colleen

 
Farro's on my list to try along with quinoa and

other newly popular grains. Unfortunately, way, way down the list smileys/wink.gif Colleen

 
Thanks everyone for your help!

Have the mushrooms and remaining ingredients to make another batch this next week. Working our way through posole made from Richard's Quick recipe. Yum! Colleen

 
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