Mushroom Barley Soup

It is overcast today in Colorado and just a bit on the cool side so I am in the mood for this soup. It is one of our favorites and my 8 month old eats this like nobody's business. Sometimes I also toss in some cooked, cubed beef. Seriously, soup is my favorite food on the planet and this is one of the best.

7 cups chicken stock (quality is key; I make my own)
1 package dried mushrooms
3/4 cup barley
3 Tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery, sliced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
3 teaspoons soy sauce
8 - 12 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups medium dry white wine
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon dried dill
3 bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon each dried oregano, basil and thyme

In a small pot, bring one cup of stock to a boil. Add in dried mushrooms and remove from heat. Let them soak for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, cook the barley according to package instructions using stock instead of water.

In a skillet, saute the onion in butter until it is softened. Then add in celery, garlic and carrot - saute for an additional three minutes. Add the soy sauce and cook for two more minutes, stirring frequently. Put this mixture into a stock pot (you might need to deglaze the skillet with a little stock). Into the stockpot, add the rest of the stock, the barley, fresh mushrooms, wine, tomato paste and herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat until it barely simmers, cover and let cook for an hour. Toward the end of the hour, remove the dried mushrooms from their stock bath, saving the stock. Rinse the mushrooms to remove any dirt or grit and chop. Add the mushrooms and strained stock to the stock pot. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Even better the next day though you might want to thin it with a little more stock.