French Onion Soup With Beef And Barley

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 ounce dried shiitake mushroom
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil, divided
• 2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges (about 4 cups)
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots or 1/2 cup onion
• 2 teaspoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups sliced button mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 12 ounces boneless sirloin steaks, 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 consomme
• 12 slices french baguettes
• 3/4 cup shredded gruyere or 3/4 cup swiss cheese

Recipe

• 1 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.
• 2 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.
• 3 add the shiitakes, button mushrooms, sugar, and beef.
• 4 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.
• 5 cover, reduce heat, and simmer 50 minutes or until barley is tender. stir in 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
• 6 preheat broiler.
• 7 ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 ovenproof soup bowls; top each serving with 2 bread slices and 2 tablespoons cheese.
• 8 broil 3 inches from heat 1 minute or until cheese melts. serve immediately.