Hearty Vegetable Stew (BLR)

• 2 medium onions, minced
• 1 medium celery rib, minced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and minced, plus 4 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt
• 9 medium (about 1 1/4 pounds), stems discarded, gills removed, caps halved and then sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 10 ounces white mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed and mushrooms halved
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 1/2-2 cups water
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Ground black pepper

Scraping out the gills of the portobellos or they would otherwise muddy flavor and color of the soup.

Mise en place.

Sweat the onions, celery, and carrots (I added some parsnips I had on hand) until vegetables are softened.

Add the mushrooms and cook until the liquid they release evaporates.

Add wine and reduce.  Then add broth, water, tomatoes, bay leaves, and potatoes and cook for about 1 hour.

 

The dish was fine, but hardly something that makes me want to give up meat really to prep and cook somewhat extensively.

Barley Soup with Roasted Seasonal Vegetables (HCEV)

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup pearled barley
• 6 cups vegetable stock (I'm no vegetarian, don't have room in the freezer to justify making stock, and wanted something richer than water: So boxed chicken stock.)
• About 2 pounds root vegetables--turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, carrots, celery root, waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or fingerling, alone or in combination--peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage (I went with fresh since I'm making something soon that will require fresh sage leaves.)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Bought a turnip and a bag of parsnips. Figured I could snag a few carrots at home for brightness. This is the pile of peelings I wound up with after accumulating enough vegetables to equal 2 pounds of them and allow an ounce for trimming ends.


Peeled vegetables.


Roasted at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes


Oops I forgot to take a picture of me sauteing the onions, garlic and smidge of bacon.
Again, folks, I'm no vegetarian though I often have vegetarian days. Plus, I got to use this HOMEMADE bacon somehow.


Bittman said that after 5 minutes of constant stirring that the mixture would begin to stick. I wasn't timing this step and stopped when I thought the barley was toasted plenty.


Adding the chicken broth. SORRY!!!


I was supposed to cook this until the barley was very tender, but I was hungry and stopped cooking after I reached edible.


There was very little liquid left especially after adding the vegetables. I'd probably consider this dish much more of a barley pilaf than soup here. The sage figured well in the dish. I'm not sure the dish is quite worthy of making again, but it certainly was nice.
I cooked one of the variations of a soup whose main recipe involved cooking the vegetables directly in the broth. Even though it's been sweltering recently, if I have the time I am ABSOLUTELY taking advantage of the maillard reaction (See previous entry with this tag).

When do I cook when I'm pressed for time anyway? Easier just to go to the Chinese restaurant down the street all my roommates hate for some reason.