Friday, September 3, 2010

Food Fact and Fitness Friday: Slow Cooker Soup

This will likely be one of the easiest soups you will ever make! Dispite it's simplicity, it is delish.   It passed the Family Dinner test so it is official!. This recipe is taken from Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker cook book

BARLEY, MUSHROOM, AND ONION SOUP

It's delicious. It's typical of the kind of peasant soup you might find in a mountainous region where barley grows plentifully, and mushrooms are to be had in season. And best of all, it's a put-the-stuff-in-the-pot-and-walk¬away-from-it no-brainer.

Ingredients:
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed thoroughly
8 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 1/2 ounce dried porcini
mushrooms
2 tablespoons tomato sauce 1/2 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a saute pan, heat the oil and saute the onion until golden brown, about IO minutes.

Rinse the dried mushrooms and then soak them in a small bowl in about a cup of water for 30 minutes. Lift out the softened mushrooms, leaving any grit behind, and squeeze the excess liquid out of them. Pour the soaking water through a strainer lined with a damp paper" towel or a coffee filter. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.


Add the mushrooms and the strained soaking water, the sauteed onion, the tomato sauce, carrot, and celery to the barley. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the barley is completely tender. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve sprinkled with a tablespoon or two of freshly grated Parmesan.

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