When I first heard about Ari Weinzweig's delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I couldn't believe it. A deli in the home of my alma mater. It's not really a deli but more of an international food emporium like New York's Zabar's with a definite Jewish touch. Mr. Weinzweig, a drop-out Ph.D. candidate, has taken an academic and appetizing interest in updating Jewish recipes like mushroom and barley soup, going back in history to the nineteenth-century Eastern European version similar to that served at New York's Second Avenue Deli.
Recipe information
Yield
Yield: 6 to 8 servings (P) or (M)
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
1. Soak the mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for a half hour. Strain through a filter. Reserve the water.
Step 2
2. Coarsely chop the dried mushrooms.
Step 3
3. Melt the margarine in a stockpot and sauté the onion, celery, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, carrot, garlic, and fresh mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes.
Step 4
4. Lower the heat and add the flour, stirring every 30 seconds for about 5 minutes or until thick.
Step 5
5. In a soup pot heat the broth or water. Add a cup of mushroom mixture at a time to the pot, stirring.
Step 6
6. Turn the heat to high, and add the reserved mushroom water and barley. Stir well and add salt to taste.
Step 7
7. Simmer, covered, for about an hour or until the barley is tender and the soup is thickened, stirring often.
Step 8
8. Add additional chopped parsley, mix thoroughly, and adjust seasonings.
Recipe notes
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