Ingredients   

200g portobello or brown mushrooms, sliced lengthwise
200g button mushrooms, chopped
1 leek or onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
1 litre vegetable stock
Pinch black pepper

Garnish (optional)
Handful of fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Method   

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a heavy-set pot or casserole dish over medium heat. Add sliced portobello (or brown) mushrooms and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside

Add remaining olive oil to the pot and add chopped button mushrooms, leek (or onion), celery and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic, thyme and tomato paste and sauté for 1 more minute, stirring to combine

Add barley and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 40 minutes (adding water if necessary), stirring occasionally, until the barley is cooked

Return the cooked mushrooms to the soup and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Season with black pepper

To serve, ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with parsley leaves