In The Pantry: Barley

Here are instructions for cooking pearled barley. You'll need this recipe if you're going to cook the beet greens & barley gratin recipe published today. Barley is also a great substitute for brown rice as a side dish.

Basic Pearled Barley

1 c. pearled barley, rinsed
3 c. water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. butter

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 30 minutes. The barley is done when all the liquid is absorbed and the barley is tender. Add a little more water, a tablespoon or two at a time, if the barley is not quite done, and cook for a little while longer.

CSA Inspiration: Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli rabe is another one of those vegetables that I do not love, but am compelled to cook when I find it in my CSA box. Blanching the broccoli rabe prior to sautéing it may seem like an unnecessary extra step, but blanching takes away some of the bitterness of this assertive green. My dinner guests loved this preparation when I served it last week as an accompaniment to my beet green and barley gratin.

Sauteed Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes

1 large bunch broccoli rabe

Salt

3 Tbsp. olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste

Peel any large stalks of the broccoli rabe. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and drop in the broccoli rabe. Cook for 5 minutes, then drain, squeezing out any excess water. (I prefer to leave the broccoli rabe intact, but you can coarsely chop if you prefer.)

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook about 30 seconds, until the garlic becomes fragrant and just begins to color. Add the broccoli rabe and cook, turning repeatedly so that it is coated with the oil, about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Serves 4.

Asparagus with Shallots

Mom and I made a great dinner tonight. She cooked shrimp scampi, I made asparagus. Usually when I cook with shallots, they act as a minor player in the dish. Here they take top billing alongside the asparagus. Adding the butter at the end gives you maximum flavor with minimum fat – it’s a chef-style trick.

Asparagus with Shallots
Serves 4

1 lb. asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut on the bias into 2” pieces
4 shallots, sliced thin
1 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 T. butter

Warm the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the asparagus and shallots and sauté until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes (exact timing will depend on thickness of asparagus stalks). Add the salt, freshly ground pepper, and butter and stir until the butter is melted. Remove from heat and serve.