Sophisticated Mushroom Barley Soup Slow Cooker

Total Time: 8 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 (1/2 ounce) package dried wild mushrooms, such as porcini
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 3 onions, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 lbs button mushrooms, sliced
• 2/3 cup pearl barley
• 6 cups beef stock
• 1 cup water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup soya sauce
• finely chopped green onions or parsley (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a heatproof bowl, combine boiling water and dried mushrooms.
• 2 let stand for 30 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve, reserving liquid.
• 3 chop mushrooms finely and set aside.
• 4 in a skillet, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoons butter.
• 5 add onions and cook until soft.
• 6 add garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
• 7 transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware.
• 8 in same pan, melt remaining butter and cook button mushrooms over medium-high heat until they begin to lose their liquid.
• 9 add dried mushrooms, toss to combine and cook for 1 minute.
• 10 transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware.
• 11 add barley, reserved mushroom soaking liquid, stock, water, bay leaf and soya sauce.
• 12 cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
• 13 discard bay leaf.
• 14 ladle into individual bowls and garnish with chopped green onions ro parsley, if using.