French Onion Soup with Beef and Barley

French Onion Soup with Beef and Barley Chock-full of fiber-rich barley, this French onion soup is a tasty variation on the classic. You can omit the sherry or replace it with white wine if you wish. 1 cup boiling water 1/2 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil, divided 2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges (about 4 cups) 1/2 cup chopped shallots or onion 2 teaspoons chopped peeled fresh ginger 4 garlic cloves, minced 3 cups sliced button mushrooms 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1 (12-ounce) lean boneless sirloin steak, cut into 2-inch strips 4 cups water 2/3 cup uncooked pearl barley 1/4 cup dry sherry 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 1 (10 1/2-ounce) can beef consommé 12 (1/4-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut French bread baguette 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese Combine boiling water and shiitakes in a bowl; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain the shiitakes in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Slice shiitakes, discarding stems. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, shallots, ginger, and garlic; sauté 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the shiitakes, button mushrooms, sugar, and beef. Sauté 10 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add reserved mushroom liquid, 4 cups water, and the next 4 ingredients (water through consommé); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 50 minutes or until barley is tender. Stir in 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Preheat broiler. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 ovenproof soup bowls; top each serving with 2 bread slices and 2 tablespoons cheese. Broil 3 inches from heat 1 minute or until cheese melts. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings NUTRITION PER SERVING CALORIES 351(27% from fat); FAT 10.7g(sat 4.3g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.7g); PROTEIN 24.6g; CHOLESTEROL 50mg; CALCIUM 196mg; SODIUM 676mg; FIBER 6.2g; IRON 3.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40g