# Lentil, Mushroom & Barley Soup



## SeaBreeze (Sep 28, 2016)

Thought this soup sounded nice for the winter months.  More on the health benefits of Lentils and more recipes here. 

*CD’s Very Best Lentil, Mushroom & Barley Soup
*
Dragonwagon suggests serving this hearty soup with “warmed brioche, 
perhaps, or popovers. Add a simple green salad with some bitter greens, 
very lightly dressed with an assertive vinaigrette.”

4    cups water
1    cup lentils
¾    cup pearled barley
1    bay leaf
6    cups mushroom stock 
2    oz mixed dried porcini and shiitake mushrooms
2-3    tbsp butter
1    large onion, coarsely chopped
2    stalks celery with leaves, coarsely chopped
1    carrot, coarsely chopped
1    small parsnip, peeled and finely chopped
3-4    cloves garlic, chopped
2    cups crisp, dry white wine
1    tbsp tomato paste
1    lb fresh mushrooms, tough stems removed, coarsely chopped
½    bunch fresh dill, tough stems removed, chopped
1    tsp salt, or more to taste
freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large soup pot, combine water, lentils, barley and bay leaf. Bring to a full boil, then turn down to simmer and cook,
covered, until the legumes and barley are almost tender; 45-50 minutes. Stir in the mushroom stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover tightly. Continue to cook slowly.

2. Meanwhile, place the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl, pour in enough boiling water to barely cover them and set aside.

3. Put a large skillet over medium heat; when hot, add butter. When melted, lower heat slightly, add onion, and cook,
stirring often until limp and golden but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add celery, carrot and parsnip, and sauté for 3 minutes more.

Turn heat to low, add garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Add wine and tomato paste; heat, scraping with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits.
Stir onion mixture into the legume-barley mixture.

4. Strain the soaked mushrooms through a coffee filter–lined sieve over a bowl; reserve the soaking liquid. Coarsely chop the mushrooms and
add them and the soaking liquid to the pot. Add fresh mushrooms, dill, salt and black pepper to taste. Stir well, cover, and continue cooking
over very low heat until lentils and barley are very tender and the soup thick, about 1 hour. Discard the bay leaf. Serve hot, in warmed bowls, with a sprig of dill atop each one.

*Serves 4 to 6*

[/QUOTE]Crescent Dragonwagon, from Bean By Bean: A Cookbook 
(Workman Publishing Company, 2012; *www.workman.com*).


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 29, 2016)

*Red Lentil Soup*








*Red Lentil Soup 
*
2  tbsp   oil
  1  small onion, chopped
  1  carrot, peeled and   diced
  1  celery stalk, diced
  2  cloves garlic,   chopped
  1  cup split red lentils, cleaned of debris and   rinsed
  1  bay leaf
  4  cups water
  Salt and pepper, to   taste
  1/3  cup yogurt, thinned with water to pourable   consistency

  1. Place oil in a   2-1/2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. 
  Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic, and sauté until soft. Add lentils and bay leaf; 
  stir for 2 - 3   minutes.

  2. Add water and bring to a boil.   Then turn down the heat and simmer 
  45 - 50 minutes (adding more water   if needed). 
  Season with salt and pepper.

  3. To   serve, ladle soup into individual bowls, drizzle with yogurt. 
  Garnish with   chopped parsley, if desired.

_Serves 4.   Analysis per serving: 260 calories, 13g protein, 8.5g fat (1.5g saturated), 
    6g   fiber, 34g carbohydrates_


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## taffboy (Dec 12, 2016)

Wow that looks nice


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## Shalimar (Dec 12, 2016)

Yummy!


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## bluebreezes (Dec 12, 2016)

And lentils are such a good inexpensive source of protein and fiber. I eat lentil soup about once a week.


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## Shalimar (Dec 12, 2016)

bluebreezes said:


> And lentils are such a good inexpensive source of protein and fiber. I eat lentil soup about once a week.


 I spent ten years  as a vegetarian in my youth. I love lentils. I like to layer my foods. Often, the basic bottom layers are lentils/beans and rice, topped with vegetables and a nutritious sauce, with or without lean meat. Depending on the sauce, one can have Chinese, Thai, Indian, Fusion cooking, all quite inexpensively and nutritiously.


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## Ruthanne (Dec 12, 2016)

That recipe sounds so delicious!  I am going to paste it into my office 3.  Thank you for sharing that.


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## Buckeye (Dec 13, 2016)

Sounds great but my culinary skills start and stop at "open box and microwave for XX minutes".


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