Mushroom Barley Kielbasa Soup

Ingredients

• 6 cups beef broth or chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-4 fresh portabella mushrooms, cubed
• 1 (8 ounce) container sliced button mushrooms (Porcini, package size is a guess, it's just the regular size of pre-sliced you find at the store)
• 1 (4 ounce) package mushrooms, of choice (Shitaake, Oyster, Morel, etc.)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 carrot, diced (optional)
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• 1 cup barley
• 1/2 lb kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into chunks
• 1 bay leaf or 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. 1

   Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a deep pot.

2. 2

   Add the onion and sauté until almost transparent.

3. 3

   Add the celery [and carrot if used] and sauté until limp and throw in the keilbasa or sausage.

4. 4

   Let the flavors blend.

5. 5

   Add the chicken or beef broth and bring it to a boil.

6. 6

   Add all of the mushroom, the barley, parsley, bay leaf, salt and black pepper.

7. 7

   Return to a boil.

8. 8

   Lower the flame and simmer for 45 minutes or until barley is tender.