Creamy Barley and Mushroom Soup – Vegan version

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Fried onion

1. 1
   Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveLarge pot
2. 2
   Add the onion and fry 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and translucent and starts to turn golden at the edges. If it browns too fast, lower the heat.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
3. 3
   Add the garlic and fry about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. Add it only after the onion has softened, over medium heat, and add the next ingredient as soon as it smells fragrant.

To assemble

1. 4
   Add the mushrooms and fry 5–7 minutes, until they release their liquid and start to brown at the edges.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
2. 5
   Add the barley and fry 1 minute, stirring.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Barley fried for a minute in oil before the liquids gets a toasty flavor and the grains stay more separate.
3. 6
   Add the stock, carrot and thyme and bring to a boil.

   Stove
4. 7
   Turn down the heat and simmer with the lid slightly open 40–45 minutes, until the legumes is tender.

   ⚙ SimmeringStove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
5. 8
   Add the cream and cook 5 more minutes, stirring, over low heat.

   Stove
6. 9
   Season with salt and black pepper, taste and adjust.
7. 10
   If the soup is too thick, thin it in a cup of boiling water.
8. 11
   Sprinkle the parsley on top.
9. 12
   Serve hot with fresh bread.