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Mushroom Barley Soup

List of Ingredients

3/4 oz. dried mushrooms
3 TBS butter or margarine
1 large leek, white part only, chopped (about 1 C)
2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 C)
1 chopped onion
4 C chicken broth
1/3 C pearl barley
1/4 C chopped parsley, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 Tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. salt, pepper to taste
1 potato, peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 C)
1 1/2 C half & half (non-fat milk works just as well!)







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Recipe

Soak mushrooms in hot water to cover for 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry. Cut off tough stems and chop mushrooms into small pieces. Set aside. In medium soup pot, melt butter and sauté leek, celery, and onion over low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft but not brown, about
20 minutes. Add chicken broth and barley, and bring it a boil. Stir in parsley, bay leaf, thyme,salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add diced potato and dried mushrooms. Cover and simmer 30 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf. Stir in milk and
correct seasonings. You will probably have to add more milk the next day, as this soup gets
very thick. It freezes well.
Serves 6.