Description
A hearty and comforting Russian wild mushroom and barley soup, featuring a rich blend of dried porcini and fresh mushrooms simmered with pearl barley and aromatic vegetables. This rustic soup is finished with fresh dill and served with soured cream and crusty bread for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soaking Ingredients
- 30g dried porcini mushrooms
- 750ml boiling water (for soaking porcini mushrooms)
Soup Ingredients
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- 20g unsalted butter
- 250g mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 celery stick, finely diced
- 200g pearl barley
- 800ml chicken, beef or veal stock
- small bunch of dill, leaves chopped
To Serve
- Soured cream
- Crusty bread
Instructions
- Soak Porcini Mushrooms: Cover the dried porcini mushrooms with 750ml boiling water and leave them to soak until softened, about 20-30 minutes.
- Sauté Vegetables and Mushrooms: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the roughly chopped fresh mushrooms, finely diced carrot, and celery. Fry for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots begin to turn a dark gold color.
- Add Barley and Stock: Stir in the pearl barley and cook for about 2 minutes to coat and toast slightly. Then add 800ml of your choice of chicken, beef, or veal stock to the pan.
- Prepare Porcini for Cooking: Drain the soaked porcini mushrooms, retaining their soaking liquid. Chop any large pieces into bite-sized chunks and add both the mushrooms and the soaking liquid to the saucepan.
- Simmer the Soup: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for about 30 minutes, or until the barley is tender and the flavors have melded. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Finish with Dill and Seasoning: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Stir in the chopped fresh dill for a bright, herbal finish.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and add a dollop of soured cream on top. Serve alongside crusty bread for dipping and enjoying the full, hearty experience.
Notes
- Use any variety of mushrooms you prefer, but porcini add a traditional deep, earthy flavor.
- Soaking porcini mushrooms also releases a lot of flavor into the soaking liquid which is used to enrich the soup.
- If you prefer a vegetarian version, substitute the stock with a rich vegetable broth.
- Adjust the thickness by varying the amount of stock or cooking time depending on your preferred consistency.
- Barley can take a bit longer than 30 minutes to cook, so test for tenderness before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 30 minutes soaking time)
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Russian
Keywords: Russian soup, wild mushroom soup, barley soup, porcini mushrooms, hearty soup, vegetable soup, comforting soup