Barley Pilaf / "risotto"

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup fine barley (not pearl)
• 2 onions (large, or 5-6 small)
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 6 tablespoons oil (or margarine, to saute)
• 3/4 cup dry wine
• 2 -3 garlic cloves
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons onion soup mix
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 toast the barley. put it in a dry pan on the stove, medium heat. as soon as some start to turn light brown (about 5 min.), stir constantly to keep them from burning! when all the barley is light brown, remove from heat.
• 2 chop the onions and garlic. saute these, also the mushrooms. set aside.
• 3 bring water and wine to a boil, stir in the onion soup mix.
• 4 stir in the sauteed mix and bring to a simmer again.
• 5 put in the barley. for best results, do not put in the barley too early.
• 6 cover and simmer 40-45 minutes -- watch out for burning on the bottom. add a little more water if it is getting too dry. barley will be a little chewy, but if you cook it until it's really soft that's when it gets sticky and glued into glop.
• 7 quantities for 90 people: 8 cups barley (3 1/2 boxes) , 8-10 onions, 6 lb mushrooms, 3 cups oil, 6 cups wine (2 bottles), 2 heads garlic, 9 quarts water, 1 1/4 cups onion soup mix, up to 1/2 cup salt.