Creamy Mushroom and Pearl Barley Soup

How to prepare creamy mushroom soup: 1. Soak pearl barley in water overnight for faster cooking. 2. In the morning, rinse the barley, cover with chicken broth, add a small onion, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 3. Peel and wash the potatoes and carrots. Dice the potatoes and grate the carrots. Add them to the soup and cook for 5 minutes. 4. Wash the mushrooms, slice them, and sauté in preheated butter until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 5. Add the sautéed mushrooms to the soup. Bring to a boil and simmer for another 5 minutes. 6. Gradually pour in 10-15% fat cream in a thin stream. Season with salt to taste, add a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then remove the creamy mushroom soup from heat. Stir in chopped herbs and minced garlic. Serve the creamy mushroom soup hot.