Aunt's Stew: Just 4 ingredients. Get a wonderfully earthy meal in no time

This slow cooker barley and mushroom dish reminds me of the kind of simple, stick-to-your-ribs stews my Aunt Clara used to put on before heading out to do chores. She believed in letting a few good ingredients speak for themselves, and this is very much in that spirit: just four things into the pot, then you walk away. By the time you lift the lid, you’ve got a wonderfully earthy, thick, almost gravy-like stew with plump barley and tender mushrooms—comfort food that feels like it came straight out of an old Midwestern farmhouse kitchen.

Ladle this barley and mushroom stew into warm bowls and serve it with thick slices of buttered crusty bread or warm dinner rolls to mop up the rich gravy. It’s lovely over a scoop of mashed potatoes or spooned alongside a simple green salad dressed with vinegar and oil. If you like, set out a little dish of grated Parmesan or a splash of cream at the table so folks can doctor their own bowls, just the way we used to do on chilly evenings after chores.

Servings: 4

1 1/2 cups pearl barley, rinsed

Lightly coat the inside of your slow cooker with a bit of cooking spray or a thin wipe of oil to help prevent sticking.

Add the rinsed pearl barley to the bottom of the slow cooker, spreading it out in an even layer.

Scatter the sliced mushrooms evenly over the barley so they’re distributed throughout the stew.

Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix over the mushrooms and barley, breaking up any clumps with your fingers.

Pour the beef broth (or vegetable broth) evenly over everything in the slow cooker, making sure all the barley is submerged. Give a gentle stir to combine without packing the ingredients down.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the barley is plump and tender and the liquid has thickened into a rich, dark gravy-like stew.

Once done, give the stew a good stir from the bottom to loosen any barley that may have settled, and taste for seasoning. If you’d like it saltier or more savory, you can stir in a pinch of salt or a splash of additional broth.

Serve the barley and mushrooms piping hot straight from the slow cooker, letting it sit uncovered for a few minutes if you prefer it even thicker as it stands.

For a creamier version, stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream or half-and-half during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking, just until heated through. If you’d like a bit more protein without changing the simple feel, add 1 to 2 cups of cooked shredded beef or leftover pot roast in the last hour of cooking. For a meatless but richer flavor, use vegetable broth and add a splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire (if not strictly vegetarian) at the end to deepen the savory notes. You can also swap in mixed mushrooms—such as cremini, portobello, or shiitake—for a more complex, woodsy taste. If the stew is thicker than you like, loosen it with a bit more hot broth; if it’s thinner, leave the lid off for the last 20 to 30 minutes on HIGH to let it reduce. Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth, and they tend to taste even better the next day as the flavors settle in, just the way my aunt always promised they would.