Porcini Mushroom And Barley Soup With Pancetta Food

MUSHROOM AND DRIED PORCINI SOUP

Steps:

• Place the dried porcinis in a bowl or a pyrex measuring cup and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, wipe the fresh mushrooms, trim away the bottoms if they're sandy, break off the stems and set them aside. Set aside the caps in a separate bowl.
• Drain the porcinis through a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a bowl. Squeeze over the strainer to extract as much flavorful liquid as possible and set aside the broth. Rinse the mushrooms in several changes of water. Measure the mushroom soaking water and add water to make 2 cups.
• In a soup pot or a large saucepan, combine the mushroom soaking liquid, the chicken or vegetable stock, the soaked porcinis, fresh mushroom stems, garlic, tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour. Strain the soup and return to the saucepan. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Slice the fresh mushroom caps paper-thin, toss with a couple of drops of lemon juice, and add to the soup pot. Heat through for 5 minutes.
• If garnishing with the garlic croutons, top them with Parmesan and place in a hot oven or toaster until the Parmesan has melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each bowl with chopped fresh chives and a crouton or two if desired.

PORCINI, PANCETTA & SPELT SOUP

Steps:

• Fry the pancetta in the oil for 2-3 mins in a medium saucepan. Add the bay leaf and onion. Cook over a gentle heat until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, fry for a few secs more, then pour over the stock and bring to the boil. Rinse the spelt and drain well. Add to stock along with the porcini and tomatoes, then simmer very gently for 25-30 mins.
• Add the button mushrooms and simmer for 10 mins more, or until the grains are tender. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, then sprinkle with parsley and freshly grated Parmesan.

HEALTHY DRIED MUSHROOM AND BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Place the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let soak until well hydrated and softened, about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the liquid. Roughly chop the porcini and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, cremini mushrooms if using, 1/4 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are tender and mushrooms are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the garlic, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and the tomato paste to the pot, then continue to cook, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle the flour and thyme evenly over the vegetables and cook, stirring, until flour is dissolved and no longer raw, about 1 minute. Stir in the barley, broth, reserved mushroom liquid and porcini, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover slightly and cook until the barley is tender and the soup has thickened and reduced slightly, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and ladle into 4 bowls. Dollop with sour cream, sprinkle with parsley and serve with a slice of bread, for dipping.

PORCINI AND BARLEY 'RISOTTO'

Steps:

• Place porcini in heatproof bowl. In medium pan, bring broth to a boil. Pour over porcini, and let sit 15 minutes. Remove mushrooms, and chop. Strain broth through cheesecloth.
• Scatter onion and garlic in a large heavy pan, and pour oil on top. Sauté until onion is translucent. Add barley, and cook, stirring, to toast barley, about 5 minutes. Pour in wine, and reduce until it is almost gone.
• Begin adding mushroom broth a little at a time, stirring until it is absorbed. (It should simmer rapidly.) Continue adding broth until barley is just tender but still firm. Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms, butter, thyme and half the cheese. Ladle into 4 shallow bowls, and sprinkle with rest of cheese.

PORCINI MUSHROOM AND BARLEY SOUP WITH PANCETTA

Steps:

• Cook pancetta in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 6 minutes (if using bacon, drain off excess drippings). Add shallots, carrots, celery and garlic to pancetta in pot; cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water, both stocks, barley and porcini and bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until barley is tender, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
• Add chard to soup; cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with oil. Top with cheese.

PORK WITH MUSHROOMS AND BARLEY

Steps:

• Cook the barley as the label directs. Cover and set aside.
• Meanwhile, whisk 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce with 2 teaspoons brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add the pork, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Whisk the chicken broth, cornstarch and the remaining 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 2 teaspoons brown sugar in a small bowl until smooth; set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned, about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate.
• Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the mushrooms, leeks, carrots, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes. Return the pork to the skillet and add the broth mixture. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with the barley; top with parsley.

PORCINI MUSHROOM AND BARLEY PILAF

Steps:

• In a glass bowl, put the porcini mushrooms. Add the boiling water and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Take out the mushrooms and RESERVE the water.
• In a pot, over medium heat, heat the oil and add the onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Add the garlic and barley and cook, while stirring, for about a minute.
• Add the mushroom broth, the vegetable broth, the bay leaf, the thyme and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer, covered, on low heat, for 45 minutes.
• When ready to serve, remove the herbs and add the mushrooms.
• Serves 4 as a main dish or 8 as a side dish.