French Onion Soup with Beef and Barley
Chock-full of fiber-rich barley, this French onion soup is a tasty variation on the classic. You can omit the sherry or replace it with white wine if you wish.
1 cup boiling water
1/2 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil, divided
2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup chopped shallots or onion
2 teaspoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups sliced button mushrooms
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 (12-ounce) lean boneless sirloin steak, cut into 2-inch strips
4 cups water
2/3 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/4 cup dry sherry
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can beef consommé
12 (1/4-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut French bread baguette
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
Combine boiling water and shiitakes in a bowl; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain the shiitakes in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Slice shiitakes, discarding stems.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, shallots, ginger, and garlic; sauté 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the shiitakes, button mushrooms, sugar, and beef. Sauté 10 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add reserved mushroom liquid, 4 cups water, and the next 4 ingredients (water through consommé); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 50 minutes or until barley is tender. Stir in 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
Preheat broiler.
Ladle 1-1/2 cups soup into each of 6 ovenproof soup bowls; top each serving with 2 bread slices and 2 tablespoons cheese. Broil 3 inches from heat 1 minute or until cheese melts. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings
CALORIES 351 (27% from fat); FAT 10.7g (satfat 4.3g, monofat 3.8g, polyfat 1.7g); PROTEIN 24.6g; CARBOHYDRATE 40g; FIBER 6.2g; CHOLESTEROL 50mg; IRON 3.7mg; SODIUM 676mg; CALCIUM 196mg;
B-man
