Barley is an excellent cereal with a flavor vaguely reminiscent of hazelnut, rich in fiber and many important minerals. It goes well with savory preparations, and can be fermented for the production of alcohol. Depending on how it is cooked, barley can have a soft or slightly chewy texture. Start by trying to cook it with the basic method described in this article, and then experiment with other types of cooking.
Ingrediants
Basic cooking
- 240 g of Barley
- 480-720 ml of water
Baked barley
- 1 tablespoon of Butter
- 240 g of Barley
- 2, 5 g of Salt
- 480 ml of boiling water
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
Barley soup
- 2 tablespoons of Butter
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 chopped celery stalks
- 1 Peeled and chopped carrot
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 450 g of chopped mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon of flour
- 2 l of meat or vegetable broth
- 240 g of Barley
- 2 teaspoons of salt
Barley salad
- 480 g of already cooked barley
- 120 g of chopped tomatoes
- 60 g of chopped red onion
- 120 g of crumbled Feta
- 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
- 4-6 tablespoons of quality extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and Pepper To Taste.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Basic cooking
Step 1. Take a large pot and pour the barley first and then the water
Step 2. Cover with the lid and bring to a boil
Step 3. As soon as the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes
Step 4. Cook until all the water is absorbed by the barley
Step 5. Turn off the heat
Let the barley rest for about 15 minutes without stirring.
Step 6. You can now use cooked barley to make salads or soups
Alternatively, you can simply season it as you like and eat it as a side dish to a meat, fish or vegetable dish.
Method 2 of 4: Baked barley
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 190 ° C
Step 2. Pour 480ml of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil
Step 3. Pour the barley into a ceramic or glass dish and add the boiling water, stirring carefully
Step 4. Season the barley with the butter, salt and mix carefully
Step 5. Cover the dish with a lid if it has one, or alternatively, use aluminum foil
Place in the oven and cook for about an hour.
Step 6. After cooking, remove the barley from the oven, pour it into serving dishes and bring it to the table along with the rest of the food
Method 3 of 4: Barley soup
Step 1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter, using medium heat
Step 2. Add the onion, carrots and celery
Sauté stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent.
Step 3. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes
Step 4. Pour the mushrooms into the pot and cook until soft
Step 5. Sprinkle the sautéed vegetables by adding the flour
Step 6. Pour in the broth and raise the heat to bring the soup to a light boil
Step 7. Add the barley and season everything with salt according to your taste
Step 8. Lower the heat to low and simmer the soup for about an hour, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot
The soup will be ready to be served as soon as it has reached the right consistency and the barley will become tender.
Method 4 of 4: Barley salad
Step 1. Cook 240 g of barley following the method described above:
'Basic cooking'.
Step 2. Pour the cooked barley into a bowl after allowing it to cool
Season the barley by adding the tomatoes, onion and feta. Stir carefully to combine all the ingredients.
Step 3. In a second bowl pour the vinegar and extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to your taste. Emulsify everything for one minute using a whisk.
Step 4. Use the freshly made vinaigrette to dress your barley salad
Before serving, mix carefully to flavor all the ingredients evenly.
