Notes by Nourish

How to Cook Pearl Barley

1. Rinse the barley and drain.
2. Cover with 3 times the volume of water in a pot which has a lid.
3. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Place the lid and cook for about 25 minutes or until the grains have absorbed the liquid.Some adjustments may be needed for the water; depending on how creamy you want it.Cooked barley should have a chewy bite to it. If there is excess starch then the cooked barley can be rinsed to remove it.

Pearl Barley Salad with Green Beans

1. Let’s start first with the marinade as this takes the longest.
   Finely slice or chop the onion and leave to marinate for about an hour in the vinegar, lemon juice and salt.
2. Cook the barley as described above. Leave aside to drain and cool in a large sieve.
3. While the barley is cooking, dry roast the garlic in a moderate oven for about 15 minutes.
4. 5 minutes before the garlic is done, throw in the tomatoes to lightly roast; just until their skins begin to burst.
5. Blanche the beans for about 1 minute and cool them immediately in a bowl of ice cold water before draining. They should retain a crisp ‘bite’.
6. Returning to the marinade now, we’re going to make a dressing.
   To prepare the dressing, start by combining the marinade fluid with the olive oil and honey in a small dish.
7. Peel and mash the soft roasted garlic and whisk this into the dressing. Season with a few twists of ground black pepper.
8. Combine and arrange all the ingredients; including the previously sieved out onions, leaving the dressing to apply just before serving.
9. Enjoy!