Kay Nimitz Smith -- Writer, Mom, Goddess in Training: Granini's Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Soup

Granini's Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Soup

This recipe is insanely easy, and very fast. If you're not making homemade rolls to go with it, you can have this soup from start to table in 20 minutes -- including veggie prep time and cook time!

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

2 Tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 or 6 white mushrooms, diced

1 quart Miso Ginger Broth *

1/2 cup barley **

*I buy my Miso Ginger Broth from Trader Joes because it's awesome.

** I used to do my barley the old fashioned way, which took about an hour before starting my soup. And I could never get it just right. It was either infuriatingly under-done, overly chewy, with leftover water at the bottom; or, it was over-done, too mushy, and gummy. (To quote from Friends, 'There's got to be a better way, Kevin!') I had almost given up on barley when I found Trader Joe's 10 minute barley.

Start info-mercial music now.

Trader Joe's 10 minute barley. Just toss it in your simmering broth, and it's ready in just 10 minutes, without being too chewy from undercooking, or too mushy from over cooking!! Heaven!! I have a picture below, of course, for those of you who like pictures.

*** If you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, sniffle sniffle, here's a little pity party for you. Sniffle, sniffle. I feel so bad for you!! Pity, pity party. Sniffle, sniffle. ***

Directions:

If you're making your barley the old fashioned way (non-instant barley), follow the directions on the package, and prepare 1/2 cup. Sometimes preparing barley can take a rather long time. So keep that in mind.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Do not use a 'nonstick' pan, as the onions just won't caramelize properly.
Add in the diced onion, balsamic vinegar, sugar and salt. Stir these ingredients together completely, and cook over medium to medium high heat, until all the onions are beautifully caramelized. (This is the same technique I use when caramelizing my onions for french dip sammies.)
Once your onions are fully caramelized, a beautiful golden brown and completely soft, add in your diced mushrooms, and allow them to soften. (I have browned my mushrooms à la Julia Child, careful not to crowd the mushrooms, but I found that the extra time and effort doesn't really seem needed for this recipe, as the broth will eventually obliterate the browning and ever so slightly stiffening effect of Julia's mushrooms. I save the effort for her mushrooms for when I'm serving them on top of oh, say, a yummy steak. But I digress.)
Slowly pour in the entire quart of Miso Ginger Broth. Allow the broth to come to a full simmer.
Add in 1/2 cup of 10 minute barley (or your previously prepared barley), and allow the broth to simmer for ten minutes.
Taste to see if you need any additional salt or pepper, and add as necessary. I love it just the way it is, without anything else!
Serve and enjoy! I always make my mushroom, onion, barley soup with Dinner Rolls. I'll pop that recipe up next. (For GranNini's Dinner Roll recipe, click here.)

For those of you who like pictures, here you go!

Add in your salt, sugar, and balsamic vinegar to your onions and butter.

Oooh, those onions are beautifully caramelized!

Add in your sliced mushrooms.

Cook the mushrooms down until they're golden and soft.

And now for my Trader Joe's ad! hahaha.

Trader Joe's Miso Ginger Broth. I usually find it on the bottom shelf of their boxed broths, under their vegetarian tomato veggie broth. I make a yummy soup out of that too, but this one is my current fav.