How To: Mabon Mushroom Barley

Gather supplies

Soak the barley as long as you can.

When nearing dinner time, bring barley to a boil and simmer, adding water as needed. Cook to about 3/4 of desired firmness.

Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms, onions, and rosemary in olive oil.

When mushrooms release their liquid and onions are cooked through, remove from heat and...

Add to the nearly cooked barley.

Mix and cook (adding liquid as needed) until barley reaches desired firmness.

Add spinach and mix until wilted.

Add balsamic and mix.

Serve!

Perfect for celebrating Mabon's harvest, this mushroom and barley recipe incorporates some of the season's best. I've been making and tweaking this so long, I don't remember where I first found it, but it's always a pleaser.

I like to soak the barley in vegetable broth in the morning (sometimes overnight) so it cooks faster and gets plumper when it cooks. Also, feel free to tweak the amount of balsamic you add. Michael likes less than I do, so I always add more to mine after dishing it up.

Portobello Barley with Spinach
(serves two)

• 1 T olive oil

• 2 C baby bella mushrooms, sliced

• 1/2 medium onion, diced

• 1 t fresh rosemary, minced (or sub 1/2 t crumbled dry rosemary)

• salt & pepper

• 1 C instant barley

• 1 1/2 C vegetable broth

• 3 t balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 C fresh spinach

1. Sauté onion, mushrooms, and rosemary lightly in olive oil at the bottom of a Dutch oven. No need to worry about the mushrooms releasing their liquid here, just get a nice light browning.

2. Add barley, salt and pepper, and vegetable broth and bring to a boil.

3. Cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until barley is tender and plump. You may need to add more liquid—this works best if the fresh liquid is already hot when added.

4. When barley is about half cooked, add spinach. Stir until the greens are wilted and fully combined.

5. Add vinegar and stir to combine. Serve.