Bean Barley Quinoa Stew

This hearty vegetarian stew nearly makes itself.

1 lb dry cannellini beans or Spanish Tolosana (Steuben yellow eye bean)

1/4 cup pearl barley

1/4 cup red quinoa (short grain brown rice)

1 sweet yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 bulb fennel, trimmed and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 qt chicken broth

enough water just to cover beans

Soak the beans in a large bowl of water with 1 Tbsp salt overnight.  Drain beans when ready to cook.

Sauté onion, celery, fennel and carrot in a dash of olive oil in a pressure cooker.  Cook until veggies just begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the beans, barley and quinoa to the veggies.  Add the broth, and water if necessary to just cover beans).

Bring beans to a boil, then cover pressure cooker.  Bring pressure cooker to high and cook 3 minutes. Remove pressure cooker from heat and allow to depressurize naturally - about 15-20 minutes.

When depressurized, open pressure cooker and serve soup.  

Serves 4-6.

Cook's Note:  You can use many other beans for this - but you may have to adjust cooking time depending on the bean.