Thick with mushrooms and barley and fragrant with thyme and sage, this stick-toyour-ribs soup is especially welcome on cold nights. Or enjoy it as a lunchtime treat after playing in the snow. No matter when you make this classic, you’ll have a satisfying home-cooked meal in less than thirty minutes. Serve it in hollowed-out bread bowls.
SERVES 6 TO 8
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms (such as white button, cremini, shiitake, oyster, trumpet, and chanterelle)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 8 cups beef or vegetable stock or store-bought beef or vegetable broth
- 2 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook for 2 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Add the mushrooms and sauté for another 3 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, barley, and stock and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Release the pressure naturally and remove the lid, tilting the pot away from you to avoid the escaping steam. Stir in the sage, taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper if needed. Garnish each serving with chopped parsley.
