Russian Mushroom Barley Soup (Грибной Суп с Перловкой)

In the crisp, sunny autumn days, the forests of Russiaare full of people perusing the wooded floor for mushrooms. Mushroom foraging is almost a sport for Slavic people. For centuries, mushrooms have been a really substantial part of the diet, during the long winter months. Since the winter is so long and the warm weather doesn’t last very long, the meat supply was pretty scarce and had to be supplemented by mushrooms, which are hearty, savory and a perfect substitute.

When we still lived in Belarus, we would get together in groups and make our way to the forest with pails. Usually right after a few rainy days, the mushrooms were especially plentiful. We rustled though the leaves and pine needles, adding one mushroom after another to our pails, breathing in the pine-scented fresh air. I loved the comraderie of these expeditions – talking, laughing, and exchanging stories. We would come back home satisfied, rosy-cheeked and hungry. We would put a large pot of potatoes to cook and serve it up with bacon and onions. The star of the meal would be mushrooms, of course. Simply sautéed with the bacon and onions, or with sour cream, mushrooms are so scrumptious.

We would marinate and dry the mushrooms to enjoy throughout the cold, winter months. Mushroom soup was a favorite. I make it with all kinds of mushrooms, basically, whatever happens to be available.

Chanterelles are my favorite. In Russian, they are called lisichki, little foxes, or chanterelles in English. I love the texture, they are meaty, hearty and extremely delicious. In a light broth and with chunks of potatoes, creamy barley, onions and garnished with a bit of crispy bacon and fresh herbs, this soup is elegant and at the same time reminds me of those days in Grandma’s kitchen, where I ate it after a day in the forest.

*We always had an expert who knew exactly which mushrooms were good and which ones to steer clear of. Don’t pick mushrooms if you don’t have the needed knowledge. Some mushrooms are poisonous, so your best bet is to buy them in the grocery store.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• ¼ cup barley, pearled
• 8 cups water
• 2-3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3-4 strips bacon
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 8 oz mushrooms, chanterelles (or any other)
• salt, pepper
• fresh herbs (dill, chives, etc), minced

Instructions

Rinse the barley. Place the water and barley into a medium pot. Season with salt, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.
Add the potatoes and continue cooking at a simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, cut the bacon into small pieces, lardons. Cook on medium heat in a skillet until crisp. Drain on a paper towel.
Pour out all but about 1 Tablespoon of the bacon grease. You can pour it all out and add about 1 Tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook on high heat. The mushrooms will exude a lot of liquid, keep cooking on high heat until all the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms are golden.
Add the onions, season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking on medium heat until the onions are tender and just beginning to turn golden.
Add to the soup and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender. Garnish with the bacon and fresh dill and chives. Serve with sour cream.

Source:

http://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/soups/russian-mushroom-barley-soup/