Recipe: Mushroom, barley and Swiss chard soup

Total time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Servings: 6 to 8

Mushroom stock

1 pound fresh cremini mushrooms

1 1/2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms

1/4 cup sliced leek (white part only)

2 cloves garlic, cut in half

2 sprigs thyme

4 peppercorns

1. Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Trim the stem ends and quarter the mushrooms.

2. Put the mushrooms in a tall 8-quart stockpot. Add the dried shiitakes, leek, garlic, thyme and peppercorns. Add 3 quarts (12 cups) cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 35 minutes.

3. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand to cool 5 minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer, gently pressing the vegetables with a spoon to extract juices. Discard the vegetables. You should have 11 cups of broth; add water until the broth measures 11 cups, if needed.

Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup finely diced carrot

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2/3 cup pearl barley

11 cups mushroom stock

1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed, sliced

1 tablespoon sea salt

2 bunches Swiss chard, stemmed and coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)

2 turnips (about 3/4 pound), peeled and cut into half-inch dice (about 3 cups)

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a tall 8-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and saute until the vegetables are tender but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.

2. Stir in the barley and stock. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet until hot. Add the mushrooms and saute until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the salt, Swiss chard, turnips and sauteed mushrooms to the stockpot. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes.

Each of 8 servings: 139 calories; 3 grams protein; 21 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 534 mg. sodium.