Cheesy Baked Pearl Barley Recipes

MEDITERRANEAN ROASTED VEGETABLES BARLEY RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place pearl barley and 2 1/2 cups water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low. Cover and cook anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes or until the barley is cooked through (should be tender but maintains some chew.)
• While barley is cooking, place diced vegetables (zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion) on a large baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper, 1 1/2 tsp harissa spice, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Toss to coat. Spread evenly in one layer on the baking sheet. Roast in heated oven for 25 minutes or so.
• When barley is ready, drain any excess water. Season with salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp harissa spice and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika. Toss to combine.
• Transfer cooked barley to a large mixing bowl. Add roasted veggies. Add chopped scallions, garlic, and fresh parsley. Dress with lemon juice and a good drizzle of Early Harvest extra virgin olive oil. Toss. If you like, top with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts.
• Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold! Enjoy.

CHEESY BARLEY GRATIN

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter and set aside.
• Fill a small pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the barley and boil until just cooked through but still slightly chewy, about 20 minutes (it will continue to cook in the oven). Drain and rinse.
• Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted, about 30 seconds. Combine the Gruyere, mozzarella and parmesan in another medium bowl. Add the panko, 1 cup of the cheese mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the bowl with the melted butter. Use your hands to work the butter into the cheese and breadcrumbs. Set aside.
• Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in a wide large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. (The butter will start to foam and brown specks will form, but that is okay; this will add a lot of flavor to the finished dish.) Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic and thyme and stir constantly until the garlic is just softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until a thin paste forms around the onion mixture, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the sauce is a thin gravy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese mixture and cooked barley. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Spoon into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle the reserved cheesy breadcrumbs evenly on top of the barley and bake until bubbly and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

CHEESY BAKED PEARL BARLEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C fan forced (200C normal).
• Toss the pumpkin with a little oil and salt and pepper in a heavy bottom baking tray and cook in the oven until tender tossing now and again.
• At the same time, put the pearl barley and a pinch of salt in a pot and just cover with stock and gently cook for about 35 minutes until just tender, adding more stock if needed and then drain well.
• To make the mornay sauce, melt the butter in a pot and add the flour and stir well and gently to cook and then add the hot milk, all at once, and whisk well and then add 2 good handfuls grated tasty cheese, the cream and salt and pepper and whisk until the cheese has melted.
• Heat a little oil in a pan and gently saute the tomatoes until they collapse a bit, regularly stirring and then toss the tomatoes with the cooked pumpkin, pearl barley and salt and pepper and add a general amount of the mornay sauce (LEAVE ENOUGH TO COVER THE TOP OF THE BAKED DISH) and mix well and transfer the mixture to a gratin dish (or any ovenproof dish).
• Flatten the top and then spoon more mornay sauce on top and sprinkle with some grated cheddar and parmesan and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
• Can be made ahead and reheated in the oven though you may need to cover with alfoil to prevent cheese burning.

PEARL BARLEY CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a 1 1/2-quart Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium heat and cook onion until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add celery and cook until starting to soften, stirring often, about 5 more minutes. Mix barley into the vegetables and stir until coated with butter. Fold mushrooms and green pepper into barley mixture; season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour chicken broth into barley mixture and bring to a boil; cover casserole dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until barley is nearly tender, about 30 minutes; uncover casserole dish and bake barley until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 more minutes. Adjust salt and black pepper before serving.

BAKED BARLEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the barley into a 1 1/2-quart ceramic or glass baking dish (with a lid) and add the butter, salt and boiling water. Stir to combine. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and place the lid on top of the foil. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, remove the cover, fluff with a fork and serve immediately.

BARLEY BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in onion, barley, and pine nuts. Cook and stir until barley is lightly browned. Mix in green onions, mushrooms, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a 2 quart casserole dish, and stir in the vegetable broth.
• Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until liquid has been absorbed and barley is tender.