- Hearty & Grounding
- Mains
- Vegan
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 55 min
- Serves 4
Slow, steady and deeply savoury. Pearl barley thickens the broth as it cooks, and well-browned mushrooms give it the kind of depth you usually get from meat. One pot, very little fuss, and even better the next day.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- 400 g mixed mushrooms, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 150 g pearl barley, rinsed
- 1.2 litres vegetable stock
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- Salt and black pepper
- A handful of chopped parsley, to serve
Method
- Heat half the oil in a large pot over high heat. Fry the mushrooms in two batches for 5 to 6 minutes each, until deeply browned. Set aside.
- Lower the heat and add the rest of the oil. Cook the onion, carrots and celery for 8 minutes, until soft.
- Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the barley, stock, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then simmer partly covered for 35 to 40 minutes, until the barley is tender.
- Return the mushrooms to the pot with the soy sauce and simmer for 5 more minutes. Add water if it gets too thick.
- Season with salt and pepper, remove the bay leaf and serve with parsley.
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