MUSHROOM BARLEY STEW

MUSHROOM BARLEY STEW image

Yield 6 bowls

Number Of Ingredients 12

3 tsp garlic, crushed (2 tsp for barley, 1 tsp for mushroom marinade)
1 medium onion, diced
6 Tbsp olive oil, (2 Tbsp for barley, 4 Tbsp for mushroom marinade)
1 28 oz can tomatoes, fire-roasted, diced
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup pearl barley
4 Portobello mushrooms (3-4 inches wide), stems cut off
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce (low sodium)
1 tsp herbes de provence (1/2 tsp for barley, ½ tsp for mushroom marinade)
½ tsp cracked black pepper
Fresh or frozen peas (optional)

Steps:

Whisk together 4 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, ½ tsp herbes de provence, 1 tsp crushed garlic, and black pepper. In a glass roasting dish, sprayed with oil, layout caps, gills facing down, and pour marinade over. Marinate for one hour, turning mushrooms over several times. Meanwhile, in a heavy stew pot, cook onions and garlic in 2 Tbsp olive oil until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add can of tomatoes, ½ tsp herbes de provence, and stock, heat until bubbling. Add barley. Cover and reduce heat to low simmer. Cook for an hour or so, until it reaches a stew-like consistency and barley is thoroughly cooked. Last 15 minutes stir occasionally to prevent catching on the bottom of the pot. If there's too much liquid, cook without lid until it reaches the desired consistency. 30 minutes after starting the barley, set the oven to preheat at 450 degrees (or 425 on convection setting). Roast mushrooms, gill side down, 15 minutes. Turn mushrooms over and roast 5 minutes more. Pull mushrooms from marinade and chop into bite size pieces. Add the marinade and mushrooms to cooked barley. Stir to blend. If needed, add salt to taste. Fresh or frozen peas can also be added.