Barley and Mushroom Salad

1/2 red onion
olive oil
2-2/3 c low-sodium vegetable broth
2/3 c pearl barley
4 oz raw shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp salt

Vinaigrette:
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp brown mustard
3 Tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper

For vinaigrette: Whisk together vinegar, honey and mustard. Slowly add oil while whisking, until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel onion and coat with oil. Place on baking sheet and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. Chop coarsely.

In a medium-sized pot, bring brother to a boil and add barley. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender, 35-40 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and spread barley on a baking sheet to cool.

In a saute pan over medium heat, cook mushrooms with 1 Tbsp oil until tender. Mix sauteed mushrooms into cooled barley, along with onion, parsley, salt and vinaigrette. Adjust seasoning as desired.

Notes:
Untried.
Recipe from Chef Martin Breslin, Harvard Dining Services, as printed in Wegman's Nature's Marketplace magazine.

Black Bean Mushroom Quesadillas with Mango Salsa

Quesadillas:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small diced onion
2 c chopped mushrooms
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1-3 jalapenos, seeded, chopped
1 (14 1/2 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp chipotle powder or chipotle in adobo, or to taste
ground cumin to taste
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
6 tortillas
1 c shredded cheddar cheese

Mango Salsa:
1 pineapple, peeled, sliced into 1/2" thick rings
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Quesadillas:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and mushrooms for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add garlic and jalapenos; saute 1 minute more. Add beans, chipotle, cumin, salt and pepper; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring, til heated through. Add cilnatro and adjust seasonings to taste.

Place 1 tortilla on a flat surface and spoon about 1/3 c of the filling onto half of the tortilla. Sprinkle with about 2 Tbsp cheese. Fold in half; set aside. Repeat until filling is used.

Grease a skillet and heat. Heat quesadillas until browned on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Top generously with mango salsa.

Salsa:
Grill or broil pineapple rings until light brown on both sides. Chop into cubes and mix with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

NOTES
From Vegetarian Times.
Haven't tried the mango salsa, but I have made a version of the quesadillas and they're very good.

Braised Chicken with Baby Potatoes

3 Tbsp flour, plus additional for dusting
3 lbs chicken (breasts, drumsticks and/or thighs)
2 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp chopped shallots
8 oz mushrooms
1/2 c dry white wine
2 c chicken stock
3/4 pound baby potatoes (white, dutch or red, left whole)
1/2 lb escarole, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
2 roasted peppers, diced
1 Tbsp capers
juice of one lemon (2-3 Tbsp)
salt and pepper to taste

Dust chicken with flour; pat off excess. Heat oil in large oven-safe pan on medium; add chicken. Brown lightly on all sides, 8-10 minutes total. Transfer to clean platter; set aside. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp oil.

Add shallots; cook and stir 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook and stir 3-4 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan. Simmer 3-5 minutes to reduce liquids by two-thirds. Stir in remaining 3 Tbsp flour; add chicken stock. Return chicken to pan and add potatoes. Bring to a simmer.

Cover and place on center rack of oven. Braise for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Remove pan from oven. Remove chicken from sauce and set aside. Add escarole to pan; simmer 5 minutes on medium on stove top. Stir in tarragon, peppers and capers. Return chicken to pan and add lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

NOTES
From Wegmans.
Untried.

Creamy Chicken Pasta Soup

3 Tbsp butter
4 oz sliced mushrooms
1 c sliced celery
1 c shredded carrots
1 medium chopped onion
3 Tbsp flour
6 c chicken stock
1 1/2 c half and half
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lbs chicken, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 c penne pasta
1/4 lb sugar snap peas, halved
3 Tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms, celery, carrots and onion. Cook about 5 minutes until celery and onion are tender. Add flour; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Gradually mix in chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Stir frequently.

Add half and half and parsley; simmer 5 minutes. Add chicken pieces; cook until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Cook penne separately and add to simmering soup along with peas; simmer 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste before serving.

NOTES
Original source unknown.
I liked this, but it was not a universal hit with my family.

Mushroom Enchiladas

1 tsp corn oil
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 chiles serranos, finely chopped
2 lbs mushrooms, quartered
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
pinch of salt
tortillas
salsa verde cocida (just any green salsa)
1 cup shredded monterey jack or cheddar cheese

Heat oil and butter in frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and chiles; saute 3-5 min. Add mushrooms; cover and cook 8-10 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove lid, increase heat to medium, and cook uncovered 20 minutes until most of the moisture in the pan has evaporated. Add cilantro and mix well; heat 1 minute. Season with salt and remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll tortillas into enchiladas with 1/4 cup mushroom mix. Bake for 10 minutes. Warm salsa verde. Cover enchiladas with sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Place under broiler 1-2 minutes and serve!

NOTES
From Jessica.
Really yummy. Have also done this with half mushrooms, half black beans.

Mushroom Barley Soup

1 c barley
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 large carrot, diced
20 oz button mushrooms, sliced
5 c chicken broth
2 bay leaves
8 sprigs fresh thyme
toasted sourdough bread

IN a medium pan, bring the barley and 4 cups of water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until onions have softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and cook, covered, for 6 minutes more. Add the mushrooms, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, covered, until they release their juices, about 4 minutes. Add broth, bay leaves and thyme and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in cooked barley and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove and discard bay leaves. If desired, season with additional salt and pepper, and serve with sourdough toast.

NOTES
From Real Simple.
Untried.