Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup

Prepare vegetables. Peel onions and chopped coarsely; you should have about 1 1/2 cups. Trim white part of leeks and wash well under cold running water, then sliced very thin; you should have about 3/4 cup. Peel and mince garlic. Pare turnips and potatoes, then cut in the 1/2 inch dice; you should have about 1 1/2 cups turnips and 1 cup potatoes. Wipe mushrooms clean with damp paper toweling; cut into thick slices for about 1 1/2 cups. Pare carrots; cut into 1/4 inch slices for about 2 1/2 cups. Trim spinach and rinse well in several changes a lukewarm water; cut or tear into 2 inch pieces for about 3 cups.

Melt butter in large heavy saucepan over medium heat. When foam subsides, add onion, leek, and garlic; sauté until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add turnips, potatoes, mushrooms, and carrots; cook, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add stock; increase heat to medium-high. Heat to boiling. Add barley shapes; reduce heat to low. Simmer soup, covered, until vegetables are crisp tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add spinach, salt, and pepper to taste to soup. Simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat to rippling. Add kielbasa; sauté, stirring frequently, until browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to paper toweling to drain. Add kielbasa to soup; adjust seasoning to taste, if necessary.

Ladle soup into warmed individual soup bowls; sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately, with grated Parmesan on the side, if desired.