Mushroom Barley Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup barley 
• 2  bay leaves 
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black
• 20 ounces button mushrooms sliced
• 1 large carrots diced
• 2  celery stalks diced
• 8 sprigs thyme leaves fresh
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 5 cups chicken broth low-sodium
• 1.5 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 medium onions diced yellow

Equipment

• frying pan
• pot

Directions

1. In a medium pan, bring the barley and 4 cups of water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat.
2. Add the onions, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook until the onions have softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add the carrot and celery and cook, covered, for 6 minutes more.
4. Add the mushrooms, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, covered, until they release their juices, about 4 minutes.
5. Add the broth, bay leaves, and thyme and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked barley and cook for 5 minutes more.
6. Remove and discard the bay leaves. If desired, season with additional salt and pepper and serve with the sourdough toast.Tip: If you have a few minutes to spare, bring out the barley's nutty flavor by sauteeing the uncooked grain with 1 tablespoon of olive oil or butter over medium heat for a few minutes before adding the water.