Barley Salad
This is a delicious and healthy summer salad. Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. Add any vegetables you have on hand, such as bell peppers, carrots, or edamame, to customize the salad to your liking.
This is a delicious and healthy summer salad. Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. Add any vegetables you have on hand, such as bell peppers, carrots, or edamame, to customize the salad to your liking.
- Carbohydrate 32.1374033333333 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.65030666666667 g
- Fiber 6.41033348337809 g
- Protein 4.22502666666667 g
- Saturated Fat 0.260863333333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (175g)
- Sodium 9.503 mg
- Sugar 25.7270698499552 g
- Trans Fat 0.144635 g
- Calories 158 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a saucepan and remove from heat.
- Stir in barley and return to heat.
- Return to a boil, reduce heat and cover, simmering for 30-40 minutes.
- Barley will be done when it is tender, but still chewy.
- Drain remaining liquid and return the barley to the pan.
- Cover and allow the barley to steam, off the burner, for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
- When the barley has steamed, dress it with the olive oil mixture.
- Refrigerate overnight, or until completely cool.
- Add grape tomatoes, cucumber, basil and red onion and toss.
- Adjust seasonings.
The Mechanics of Grain Absorption
Barley anchors this preparation. Grains demand careful thermal management to achieve the correct internal texture without splitting open completely. Boiling the water first, adding the grain, and then reducing the heat to a simmer prevents the starch from dissolving into a gummy paste on the exterior. Steaming the drained barley off the burner for ten minutes allows residual moisture to distribute evenly through the endosperm. Dressing the grain while it remains hot opens the starches. This thermal window maximizes vinaigrette absorption compared to seasoning a cold product. Red wine vinegar provides acetic acid to balance the rich profile of the olive oil.
Texture and Temperature Control
Grain salads originate from historical preservation methods where robust cereals were combined with acidic dressings to extend shelf life without refrigeration. This dish relies on a tactile test rather than a thermometer to signal doneness. Press a single grain of barley between your thumb and fingernail. The center should yield with slight resistance while remaining chewy, lacking any chalky white core. Chill the dressed grain thoroughly overnight before adding the raw vegetables. Incorporating the diced cucumber and grape tomatoes too early causes them to release excess water, diluting the dressing. Fold the delicate fresh basil in at the very end to prevent bruising.
