Wild Mushroom Salad with Barley and Smoked Bacon

Ingredients

• 4 ounces butter
• 2 diced shallots
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 cup barley
• 3 cups mushroom stock, hot
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 2 pounds shiitake mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced
• 1 pound endive
• 1 pound smoked bacon
• 3 ounces red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add shallots and garlic and cook until translucent. Add barley and stir well. Add hot mushroom stock and bay leaves and simmer for 20 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed and barley is tender. Let cool and set aside. Slice mushrooms and endive and set aside. Dice bacon and place in large saute pan cooking over medium heat until crisp. Pour off half of fat. Deglaze pan with red wine vinegar and add mushrooms and endive and cook until tender. Remove from heat and add parsley. Check your seasoning and then toss with barley. Serve in a large bowl.