Barley & Vegetable Stew
feeds between 20-25
5 large onions, chopped
15 cups vegetable stock
10 medium carrots, cut into chunks
10 celery stalks, roughly chopped
10 medium potatoes, pealed and quartered.
40 cloves of garlic (5 fists of garlic)
10 cups of sliced mushrooms (a mix of whatever they have)
1 2/3 cup barley, pearled
5 teaspoons fresh thyme, or 2.5 teaspoons dried thyme
Over medium heat, saute chopped onions and mushrooms with 1 teaspoon salt until onions soft and clear and beginning to brown.
Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil, then add barley and bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Then add carrots, potatoes and celery and bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer so that mixture bubbles. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stew is ready when everything is tender, taste and correct seasoning. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Adapted from "How to Cook Everything," p 485
What we learned: To make an amazing "Beef-Barley Stew" use 1.5 lbs of chuck roast, cubed and browned under a broiler, or fried in a pan. Replace vegetable stock with water.
