Baked Barley with Shiitake Mushrooms & Caramelized Onions

This recipe was featured in my newsletter dated November 21, 2006.

Baked Barley with Shiitake Mushrooms & Caramelized Onions
by Chip Desormeaux

2 tbs. butter
2 c. sliced onions
8 oz. sliced button mushrooms
8 oz. sliced shiitake mushrooms
¾ c. pearled barley
1 tbs. light tamari soy sauce
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. thyme
2 c. veggie or chicken broth
8 x 8 pan

(Increase barley to 1½ c. and broth to 3 c. for serving as entrée for vegetarian guests.)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; cover and cook 25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.

Remove onions and increase heat until pan begins to smoke; add mushrooms and cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.

Return onions to pan, stir in broth, soy sauce, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil and stir in the barley.

As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, transfer mixture to a pan, seal with foil and bake for an hour. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4-6.

Notes:
San-J brand makes a light tamari soy sauce that adds a lot of flavor without all the unnecessary salt. You can find it at most Asian markets and I've also seen it at Whole Foods (a.k.a., Bread & Circus).

I prefer the taste of chicken broth over veggie. But for vegetarians, it's best to use veggie stock.

For a nice presentation, try forming the barley in a little cup coated with a little oil. Turn the cup upside down over the center of the plate, remove the cup and top with a mushroom or two. If serving with beef, you can lean the slices of beef against the side of the formed barley.

When serving to guests, I usually don't add the mushrooms until the very end. I wash and prepare them and set them aside until the barley is cooked. Then I stir the uncooked mushrooms, cover the barley with the foil again and let sit for about 10 minutes. This softens the mushrooms without causing them to discolor.

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Baked Barley with Shiitake Mushrooms & Caramelized Onions Recipe