Tag: garlic scapes

Barley Rice Salad

Barley Rice Salad

I love barley. In the winter, I’m always making stews that overflow with barley. Until now, however, I haven’t found something to use it in during the summer months. Here, I’ve used it in a salad with some rice and veggies. Cross that one off my list of grains to try saladifying!

I’m not sure why I love barley so much. It doesn’t have a big flavour, and isn’t as versatile as rice or quinoa. I like the little chew it gives to a dish. I guess it’s as simple as that.

It seems like I’m trying to find a way to make salad out of every grain in my cupboard. Grain salads are great for me, because they make great leftovers to bring to work. I’m always thinking of what to bring for lunch the next day. I do my best to limit the number of days I have to buy lunch, so that’s really important for me.

I’ve kept the dressing very simple lately. I just restocked my apple cider vinegar, which is fantastic for salad dressing. It’s tart and acidic and has more flavour than white vinegar, so you don’t need to add many other ingredients. One reason I kept things simple – fresh basil. Our rooftop garden is overflowing with delicious basil, and I’m happy to highlight it in the salad. Nothing compares to fresh basil.

Cooking tip: cook the barley in advance and freeze in portions. Do this on a day that isn’t too hot, so you’re ready to go when you need it. I didn’t do this with the rice, because rice is quicker to cook up when you need it.

Barley Rice Salad

Barley Rice Salad meets the Garlic Scape Monster

Barley Rice Salad

4-6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup brown or mixed rice, dry (I used a fun one from Bulk Barn called Black Pearl)
  • 1 – 1.5 cups pearl barley, cooked
  • 1 cup corn kernels, cooked (can use canned, frozen, grilled)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped green garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic clove)
  • 1/2 – 1 cup sliced fennel
  • 10-12 cherry tomatoes, quartered (and drained, if using a waterier variety)
  • 2 tablespoons basil, chiffonade or finely minced
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground yellow mustard seed
  • salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • pinch of cayenne, or your favourite ground chile (optional)
  • 1 cup chopped cucumber

Preparation:

  1. Cook rice using your favourite method (stovetop, rice cooker, steamed, etc.). Remove from heat, transfer rice to a large nonreactive bowl, stir in barley and set aside to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare and mix together the garlic, fennel, tomatoes and basil. Stir into rice and barley mix and put in the refrigerator.
  3. In a small glass with a pour spout, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard powder, salt, pepper and cayenne until the mixture emulsifies (it will come together and thicken slightly). Pour dressing over salad, bit by bit, and gently toss until well coated. You may not need to use it all.
  4. Top with chopped cucumber and serve.

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What do I do with this? Garlic Scapes

Garlic Scapes

This is a new monthly challenge that I’m imposing on myself, where I find an ingredient that I have never used before (or even better – have never even HEARD of before) and make something with it.

My first entry is the Garlic Scape. I first heard of this earlier in the year, but had never seen any in the market before. I actually tried to grow my own, but failed miserably.

I finally found some at the market this month.

Garlic scapes, or green garlic, are the stalks of the garlic plant, growing above ground. They’re sort of like scallions, but garlicky tasting and much more dense. To me, they seem like a cross between a garlic and a green bean. Raw, they are pungent and crunchy. When cooked, they are soft and mild.

My first big dish using garlic scapes was a simple pasta tossed with sauteed vegetables, garlic scapes, garlic scape infused yogurt and Parmesan cheese.

Pasta featuring Garlic Scapes

There are many recipes for garlic scape pesto, which I plan to try making soon. Sounds right up my alley!

Now that I’ve tried them, I’m a little embarrassed that I hadn’t heard of them before. Anyone that knows me should be ashamed of me!! This was a great find, and a really fun thing to put in summer dishes. I know they won’t be in season for much longer, so I’ll be buying them every chance I get.

Next year, I plan to try growing garlic again. I’m not too sure what went wrong this time around, but I think it’s because bulbs don’t overwinter very well here when in pots. I might try planting them early March with my daffodils.

🙂