Barley Mushroom Soup

Here it is!  Another Meatless Mon...er...Tuesday meal.  I'm very interested in using more grains in my cooking.  I spotted this recipe in my new cookbook, How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.  It was a pretty basic recipe so I added some ingredients to make it my own! 

What you will need: Olive oil, 8 oz fresh mushrooms, 2 carrots (peeled and sliced), 1 stalk of celery (sliced), 3 radishes (sliced), 1/4 cup chopped onion, 3/4 cup pearled barley, 1 1/2 tsp sage leaves, 2 bag leaves, salt and pepper.

Bubbling away on the stove.

Heat your olive oil and dump in the carrots, celery, and radishes. Once they start to cook down add the mushrooms and onions.  Cook for about 10 minutes until browned. Add the barley and cook for 5 minutes more. Add 6 cups of water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a nice simmer and add the bay and sage leaves.  Add a little salt and pepper.  Let simmer for about 30 minutes until the barley gets tender.  Taste; add salt and pepper if needed.  Serve with fresh dutch oven bread and wine!

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Dutch Oven BreadThis is the best bread in the world and it's so easy to make.  I can't believe I waited this long to make it.  In fact, I think I'll mix up another batch tonight and bake it tomorrow morning.

What you will need: 1/4 tsp dry yeast, 1 5/8 cup warm water, 3 cups flour, 1 3/4 salt

Dissolve the yeast in water in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit 8-18 hours at room temperature. 
Lightly sprinkle the counter top with flour and place dough on it. Sprinkle more flour on the dough and fold it over onto itself 2 or 3 times (do not knead).  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes.  Using a little flour, shape it into a ball. Generously dust a smooth dishtowel with cornmeal.  Place the dough, seam down, on the towel and dust the top with more cornmeal.  Cover with another towel and let rise for 2-3 hours.
20 minutes before the dough is ready, heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Put a heavy 6-8qt Dutch oven with the lid in the oven as it heats.  When the dough is ready, remove the pot and life the lid.  Lift the dough by the towel and turn it carefully into the pot-it should tumble into the pot.  Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for 12-15 minutes more.  Once it's done, take out of the pot and cool for one hour.