This creamy, yet healthy, soup will wow you! My toddler literally gobbled it up. Serve it steaming hot along side fresh baked bread. (Of course it’s even better with a dash of Tabasco!) The original recipe comes from Eating Well magazine, but I added my touch to this recipe quite a bit!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pearl barley
5 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
2 cups boiling water
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh shallots, minced
8 oz. fresh white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
8 oz. fresh baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
Directions:
- Bring barley and 1 1/2 cups broth to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add celery, sage, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, until the flour is incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Add sherry and cook, stirring, until most of the sherry has evaporated, about 1 minute.
- Add remaining 4 cups broth.
- Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the soup has thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Add cooked barley and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 additional minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in sour cream until incorporated.
- Garnish with chives.
