Looking through my recipe box this weekend, I found a recipe for roasted barley pilaf that used to be one of our favorites. In fact, we used to eat a fair bit of barley.

I have no idea why we stopped eating barley, but I suspect it had something to do with kid meals. During that phase with the kids were very young and their diets limited, the recipe must have fallen out of mind, and, therefore, out of practice.

I decided to make the roasted barley last night with our grilled porkchops and grilled asparagus. The nutty flavor of the roasted barley paired well with the grilled food. And the kids liked it! Most of it anyway. The boys claim not to like mushrooms, but my daughter loves them. I think we’ll be having more barley.

Barley is a healthy, versatile grain

A member of the grass family, barley is an ancient crop. While typically used in beverages and for cereal, it’s also great at the dinner table. It’s good source of dietary fiber and will absorb well the flavors of the liquid in which it is cooked. I used to make a vegetable and barley soup in which I would puree the vegetables before adding partially cooked barley. After the barley was completely cooked, the soup was thick and rich and very filling. It was perfect for winter nights - or even chilly spring nights.

I decided to look up some other barley recipes, and there are quite a few out there that look interesting. There’s Barley, Feta, and Pear salad, Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Hazelnuts, Barley and Apricot salad, and many, many more. Some of these recipes could work well for picnic salads and wraps.

Roasted Barley Pilaf

1 tbsp olive oil (butter also works nicely)
1 c pearl barley, rinsed
2 shallots, chopped fine
¼ lb sliced mushrooms
2 c low sodium stock (vegetable, chicken or beef all work well depending on what you pair with the disk) or water
Salt and pepper

In a heavy saucepan, heat oil or butter over medium heat. Add the barley and cook, stirring often, until the barley starts to brown and give off a nutty aroma, about 10 minutes. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook 3 minutes more. Add the stock carefully and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes.

Season well with salt and pepper and server immediately.

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