I hope you enjoy this recipe, which uses the same technique as in traditional risotto—the coating of the grain with oil and the addition of warm stock slowly to create a rich and creamy texture—but adds a new twist by adding dill and using tahini instead of the usual butter and cheese.
1 cup Pearl Barley, pan toasted until golden brown
4-5 cups vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic, pressed
½ chopped large onion
2-3 TB. olive oil
4-5 small sweet carrots
2-3 TB. finely chopped fresh dill
2-3 TB. Sesame Tahini
Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, cook the garlic and onions in the olive oil until translucent. Add toasted barley, stir with a wooden spoon, coating each grain with the oil. Add WARM veggie stock 1 cup at a time, stirring between each addition until the liquid is absorbed. Continue until barley is cooked, about 30-45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In separate pan, sauté carrots and scallions in a small amount of oil until caramelized but still vibrant in color, texture and taste. Add salt if needed.
Add carrot/scallion mixture to barley just after it is done and the heat is turned off. Add chopped dill and tahini. Mix thoroughly.
Place finished risotto on a plate and drizzle fresh squeezed lemon juice and little olive oil.
For extra flavor and texture: Add ½ cup toasted sunflower seeds to risotto when adding the carrots, scallions and dill.
Think Rodgers and Astaire. Nichols and May. Siskel and Ebert? Famous pairs whom, when I really think about them, combine two somewhat odd participants. On there own-- good, but when combined-- powerfully magical. To this list I would like to suggest a “culinary” nominee: a grain I would refer to as rice's talented yet unappreciated "understudy"-- barley-- and the ubiquitous roadside "weed", strangely hardy yet at the same time delicately structured herb known as dill. Eaten separately, barley and dill do not exactly “float my boat” as they say. Barley seems pale and boring--dill, a frilly herb too frequently used to freshen boring poached salmon dish or add as a flavor to a cucumber turned soggy pickle. But mingled together their special chemistry shines.This pairing is one of my surely one of my favorites—it calls my name most clearly in the spring when I craving food that feels “green” in my mouth and leaves me full yet refreshed.
Honestly, I can’t take all the kudos for this wonderful discovery. I reluctantly have to give a teensy bit of credit to a former boyfriend (who dumped me during a very rough period of my life—a long story) but who was the first to introduce me to this flavor combo. Alas, love was fleeting, but many a good recipe "has legs"--I have over the years, tweeked it here and there, but it has stood the test of time-- it continues to please me to this day. I happily share it with my clients, friends and family, who all “fall in love at first bite” just as I did when I first discovered it's unexpected charms.
Speaking of times past, here is a short history lesson: Barley is an ancient grain that has survived and thrived and still holds a valuable place in our modern diet. Abundant in the Fertile Crescent, scholars claim that it’s the first domesticated grain. The Egyptians as well as the Greeks went gaga over it, calling it the food of gladiators. In Tibet it has been a staple food for centuries and is still used to create flour used in everyday meals. The prophet Mohamed sang it’s praises and prescribed it for many ailments. Losing out the potato in popularity in Europe in the 19th century, it is still is used today as animal fodder, the base for malt used in beer, and certain “health” food recipes.
Health Tip: Interestingly--barley contains as much protein as wheat but in a form that is more digestible, and has a special attribute: the ability to regulating blood sugar much more successfully than other grains—it’s especially helpful for diabetics and people with low blood sugar. Either served hot as a “risotto” or cold as a salad on a hot summer day, both versions are equally wonderful.
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