to try...

1/2 cup pearl barley
4 1/2 cups mushroom broth, divided
(I used the organic mushroom broth that comes in
a box)
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
(I scrimped and used only 1/2 oz. and it was still
great)
2 c boiling water
2 tsp. butter
1 tbls. olive oil
1 cup minced shallots (about 4 medium)
8 cups sliced white shrooms
(I used 2 8 oz. boxes)
2 stalks celery (I left this out)
1 tbls, minced fresh sage OR 1 tsp. dried
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tbls. flour
1 cup dry-to-medium sherry
1/2 cup sour cream


1. Combine barley and 1 1/2 cups broth in a small saucepan. Bring to a
boil in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil over high heat; cover, reduce heat to low and
simmer until the barley is tender,
30-35 minutes.

2. Combine porcinis and boiling water in a medium bowl and let soak
until the mushrooms are soft,
about 20 minutes. Line a sieve with the paper towels, set it over
a bowl and pour mushrooms and
soaking liquid through it. Revere the soaking liquid. Finely chop
the mushrooms.

3. Heat the butter and oil in a soup pot and add shallots, cook until
softened and add white mushrooms.
Cook about 5-8 minutes and add the porcini and celery (if you use
it) sage, salt and pepper. Cook
about 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and mix in then
add the sherry and cook until
most of the sherry is evaporated.

4. Add the soaking liquid and the remaining 3 cups broth and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat and simmer
stirring occasionally until the soup has thickened

5. Add the cooked barley and continue cooking to heat through.

6. Stir sour cream into soup and serve.

Perfect on a cold or snowy night. And tonight it is only 9 degrees!


Fennel Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Black Olives and Pine Nuts

Almost a meal in itself if you have bread and cheese. Mark and I had
it first before a vegetable soup.

l large fennel bulb, quartered and thinly sliced
a red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbs. sundried tomatoes soaked and chopped
1 tbs. chopped scallion
3 tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice (I used much more)
salt and pepper
mixed salad greens
2 tbs. pine nuts, toasted

In a large bowl, combine the fennel, bell pepper, olives, tomatoes,
scallion, oil, lemon juice,
salt and pepper to taste. When ready to serve, line salad plates with
greens, spoon mixture on
greens and sprinkle with the pine nuts.


ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND ISRAELI COUSCOUS

1/2 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded
and cut into 1/4" dice
3 T olive oil
a large onion, chopped
a tsp. salt
1 3/4 Israeli couscous
3 cup water or broth
a tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 c pine nuts, toasted
1/2 c golden raisins (I used dried cranberries)
juice of a 1/2 lemon


Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Toss squash with 1 T
oil and salt to taste in a large shallow baking pan. Roast
for 15 minutes or until squash is tender and transfer to a
large bowl.

Cook onion in 2 T oil in a large, heavy pot. Add salt, cinnamon and
couscous and cook stirring for about 4 minutes. Add the broth and cook
for
10 minutes, stirring often.

Add to roasted squash and stir in lemon juice, parsley, nuts and
raisins or
cranberries.