Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in 1 cup of boiling water for about 20 minutes. Strain the liquid into a saucepan, add the remaining 3 cups of hot water and stir in the NOMU Chicken or Vegetable STOCK. Place on the stove to keep warm.

Roughly chop the soaked mushrooms.

In a heavy-based pot, heat the Olive Oil and gently sauté the onions for about 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and briefly cook. Add the barley, stirring to coat all the grains and cook for about a minute. Add the white wine and allow the alcohol to cook off. Add the chopped soaked porcini mushrooms and the thyme. Add the hot stock to the barley mix one ladle at a time stirring frequently.

While the barley is cooking, heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan and fry the exotic mushrooms until they just start to turn golden and set aside.

Keep adding the stock until the barley is cooked through but still has a bite – this will take about 30 minutes. Add the cooked mushrooms 3 minutes before the end.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and NOMU Cook’s Collection Porcini Cook’s Salt

Sam’s tip: Add a tablespoon of cream or butter at the end to make it more indulgent.

*Original recipe and photographs by Sam Linsell at www.drizzleanddip.com