8 cups bouillon
12 dried mushrooms, stems removed, broken in pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
pinch cayenne, or to taste
1/2 cup barley
2 medium red potatoes, cut in 1/2″ cubes
1 8-ounce box mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
Bring the bouillon to a boil in a large pot. Place the mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with 1 cup of the boiling bouillon; set aside to soak.
Add the onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, cayenne and barley potatoes to the pot and return to boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the dried mushrooms and their soaking liquid, and the potatoes, and continue simmering until the barley and potatoes are tender. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook 10 minutes more. If you like a thick soup, puree briefly with the hand blender but leave lots of chunks. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice, adjust the seasonings and ladle into bowls.
6-8 servings
Note: Asian markets are a good source of inexpensive, tasty dried mushrooms. They can be added to soups and many other recipes.
