This cold weather makes this soup weather, so I made a batch of mushroom barley soup. I made it my usual way, starting with sautéeing an onion in EVOO in the Instant Pot. After 5 minutes or so, added about a tb of minced garlic, and a generous tb of tomato paste, and sautéed about 2 minutes, then added 7 cups of chicken broth, 3/4 c barley, 2 tb light soy (for part of the salt), a little Worcestershire sauce, then set the IP for 25 minutes on manual, and let release naturally.
While that was cooking, I cleaned the soaked boletus, then chopped them fine, and cooked the strained liquid and the boletus down, while washing, and quartering the mushrooms. Added them to the last tb of liquid, then steamed briefly, then removed the lid, added 2 tsp olive oil, and when the water boils off, sauté 6 or 7 minutes, then set aside, until barley is done. I then took some of the broth and rinsed all the fond out of the pan, and added that, and the mushrooms to the IP. Then I added about 3 tb black quinoa (only to empty a jar) and 4 tb masoor dal, adjusted the salt, then simmered 20 minutes, then added 12 oz frozen peas, and cooked 5 more minutes. I then added about 4 tb of chopped parsley, and added a generous amount of freshly ground pepper, to finish it.
A lb of mushrooms, cooked with almost an ounce of dried boletus, ready to add to the soup. by
pepperhead212, on Flickr
Mushroom barley soup. by
pepperhead212, on Flickr
I didn't put any parmesan on this helping, as it's good without, as well, but I'll probably have some on the next batch tomorrow.