Vegetarian Mushroom and Barley Stew

This is based on a little known site, the star.  It's called a hearty vegetarian stew, a Barley and Mushroom stew.  I adapted it a little.  I made this for Moira, and Sarira, the vegetarians, for Saint Patrick's day.  The girls really liked it!!  I haven't even tried it yet...other than a small taste to check the flavor.

So, jumping right in, ingredients:


1/2 C dried porcini mushrooms  ( I didn't use these.  I think they would add some richness to the stew)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 C carrots
1 C celery
3 C potatoes or about 4-5 potatoes - I used reds and yukons
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 C mushrooms - I just used standard mushrooms, sliced.  I think it would have been better to do some shitakes and oysters, to add more flavor
1/3 C pearled barley
2 tsp fresh thyme - i added a generous little bunch
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 C vegetable stock
Chopped parsley for garnish

Add 1 C of boiling water to cover porcini mushrooms and set aside.
Heat oil in large pot; add onion, carrot, celery, potatoes and garlic.
Saute until vegetables start to carmelize, about 12 minutes.
Save porcini juices.  Chop the porchins and add all the mushrooms to the pot.  Cook them
down about 5 minutes.


Add barley and cook, stirring, until shiny and coated. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper.
Add vegetable broth and porcini juice to stew.
Bring to boil and then simmer covered, about 30 minutes.
Garnish servings with chopped parsley.

Jib Jab
This was easy.  I wish I had the porchinis.  I used a lot of mushrooms.  I wonder if they would have been better if I had browned them a bit.  None-the-less, it was good, according to Moira.