Barley with Mushrooms and Browned Onions
- 1 cup pearl or pot barley
- 1 1/2 tablespoons light olive oil
- 2 large onions, quartered and thinly sliced
- 8 to 10 ounces cremini, baby bella, or white mushrooms
- 2 to 3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Bring water (3 cups if using pearl barley; 3 1/2 cups for pot barley) to a rapid simmer in a medium saucepan and stir in the barley.
- Cover and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Taste, and if youd like a little more tender texture, add another 1/2 cup water and simmer until absorbed.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide skillet.
- Add the onions and saute slowly over low heat until lightly and evenly browned.
- Add the mushrooms and about 1/4 cup water.
- Cover and cook over medium heat until the mushrooms are wilted, about 8 minutes.
- Combine the onion and mushroom mixture with the cooked barley in a serving container.
- Stir in the dill, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
- Barley, one of the most ancient of cultivated grains, is most commonly available in the pearl variety, the kind sold in supermarkets.
- Searching a bit further afield, you might find pot barley in natural foods stores and food co-ops.
- The latter is less refined, retaining more of the natural fiber and bran.
- Both kinds are mild tasting, pleasantly chewy, and versatile.
- Basic cooking directions are above (Step 1).
- Barley is a favorite soup grain.
- Add uncooked barley to long-simmering winter soups (such as Split Pea and Barley Soup, page 25) for extra heartiness.
- Add cooked barley to cold summer soups (such as Cold Potato-Barley Buttermilk Soup, page 14) for a wonderful texture.
- Think of barley as a change of pace from rice in pilafs and casseroles.
- Barley is delicious as a base for marinated grain salads (see Barley or Rice and Corn Salad, page 46).
- Calories: 171
- Total Fat: 5g
- Protein: 4g
- Carbohydrate: 29g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 7mg
pearl, light olive oil, onions, cremini, dill, salt
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/barley-with-mushrooms-and-browned-onions-372795 (may not work)