I grew up with this dish as a staple in my house. My mom is a bit of a freak for whole grains and it wasn't until I moved out into the world that I realized that the general public was not eating nearly as much barley as I thought they should be!
If you are a member of the uninitiated, barley is an ancient whole grain, one of the earliest cereal grains to be cultivated. It has a chewy consistency that is not unlike a thick rice or pasta but, unlike those other grains, it is packed with fiber and antioxidants. It actually has about 30% fewer calories than brown rice so it is a great option for a more calorie conscious meal that is still filling and delicious. Barley can be purchased at most grocery stores, however, make sure you are NOT purchasing "pearled barley". Pearled barley has been treated to remove some of the outer husk but in doing this, you lose a lot of the nutrients and fiber that makes this grain so great.
This is a super simple barley recipe that can serve as a beautiful side dish next to a whole roast chicken or some lamb chops or served as a main dish, akin to a healthier risotto. I used half chanterelle mushrooms (my absolute fave of all mushrooms) and half standard brown baby bella/ button mushrooms. Normally, I use all bella or maybe half shitake or half oyster. This is really up to you. I encourage you to try the chanterelle if you are up to the challenge of cleaning them but really any mushrooms you have on hand will be yummy.
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 cup raw barley (NOT PEARLED)
2-3 cups chicken stock
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups of raw chopped mushrooms
1-2 tbsp olive oil
Grated Parmesan to top
Small handful of chopped parsley to top
Method:
In a medium frying pan over medium low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions and mushrooms and stir occasionally, about 15 minutes, until everything is soft and cooked through
In a medium pot, heat chicken stock over medium heat until simmering. NOTE: Part of the beauty of barley is that, unlike rice, you do not need to measure your liquid exactly. If you run out of liquid before the barley has finished cooking, simply add more. If you finish cooking with more liquid left in your pot (as should happen) simply drain the barley and save the used stock. The barley imparts a thick starchiness to the stock that will prove an excellent addition to whatever you decide to use the stock in next!
Add the barley to the stock, return cover, and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 30ish minutes. Barley should be slightly chewy but soft when finished and the grains should have tripled in size.
If needed, drain excess stock from the barley. Stir in mushroom and onion mixture. Top with gated Parm and parsley, serve and enjoy!
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