We used local ingredients, including barley from Wheatberry’s grain CSA Recipe
This delicious winter meal in a bowl is adapted from Deborah Madison’s, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.
Barley Soup with Caramelized Onions and Pecorino Cheese
Ingredients:
1/4 C. Olive Oil
3 onions, cut into 1/2″ dice
2 Qts. Veggie or chicken stock
1/2 oz. dried procini or other local wild mushrooms
2 TBS tomato paste
2 TSP dried rosemary
1 C. pearl barley, rinsed
1 C. celery root or selery
2 carrots, diced
Salt and pepper
1/2 C grated pecorino romano (or parmesiano reggiano) cheese
Procedure:
Warm the oil in a heavy soup pot. Add the onions, and cook until caramelized. The onions will turn a dark brown, keep stirring so they don’t burn. When the onions are browned add the tomato paste and rosemary and cook for a few more minutes working the tomato paste into the onions.
In a separate pot, heat the stock and add dried mushrooms. Cook mushrooms in the stock about 15 mins. enough to fully re-hydrate them. Retrieve mushrooms and chop them. Strain remaining stock into the onions; add barley, vegetables and chopped mushrooms. Bring stock to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, partially covered until barley and vegetables are done, about 25 mins. Taste for salt, season with pepper and serve with lots of cheese grated on top.