Fried Barley

Tu B’shevat, which starts at sundown on January 16th, reminded me that I have to make more barley, which is one of the traditional foods for this not particularly well-known Jewish holiday, otherwise known as New Year of the Trees.

We don’t eat barley often enough. Sure, I add it to soup, but it’s so good on its own — for salad and casseroles in particular — that it should be more of a standby.

I decided to make it like I do fried rice, except I added mushrooms, which I think overwhelms fried rice but pairs perfectly with whole grains.

So, this is actually a two-fer. I can make this for Tu B’shevat and also for Lunar New Year (February1st)(Year of the Tiger), because why not celebrate even if it’s not part of my heritage? Delicious food is appropriate any time.

Fried Barley

• 1 cup pearled barley

• 2-1/2 cups water

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 3 large eggs, beaten

• 4-6 scallions, chopped

• 10-12 medium mushrooms (about 8 ounces), coarsely chopped

• 1 cup thawed frozen peas

• optional: chopped water chestnuts, cooked carrots, corn kernels

• kosher salt

Place the barley and the water in a saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for about 45 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Let cool. Heat one tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or stirfry pan over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and let set, then scramble the eggs slightly and turn them over to cook both sides completely. Remove the fried eggs from the pan and chop into bite size pieces. Set aside. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the pan. Add the scallions and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft and all the liquid has evaporated. Add the barley, breaking it up into separate kernels with a spatula or wooden spoon, and stir to incorporate the vegetables. Add the peas and optional ingredients, sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring often to distribute the ingredietns evenly, for 3-4 minutes or until the ingredients are hot.

Makes 4-6 servings

Farro and Roasted Chick Pea Salad

I’m a salad lover year ‘round, but somehow even for me, warm weather is salad season for real.

So, here we are, it’s almost summer. It’s already hot as blazes where I am and I am in even more of a salad mood.

This one is so easy and you can make it ahead — don’t add the dressing until 15-20 minutes before serving time. Also — I love farro but you could substitute any whole grain or even couscous.

Remember this one for July 4th — you can tote it to a picnic — and even for Labor Day.

Happy summer!

Farro and Roasted Chick Pea Salad

• 1 can chick peas (15 ounces)

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, approximately

• Salt to taste

• 1 cup farro

• 2 cups water

• 3-4 scallions, chopped

• 1 avocado, peeled and diced

• 2-3 tablespoons wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• salt to taste

• Aleppo pepper, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drain the chick peas and place them on a baking sheet. Pour 2 teaspoons olive oil over them and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 20 minutes or until crispy and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool. While the vegetables are roasting, place the farro and water in a saucepan and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 25-30 or until the grain is tender, but still chewy. Let cool slightly and place in a mixing bowl. Add the chick peas, scallions and avocado and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss the ingredients. Pour in the wine vinegar, add the parsley, mint and cumin and toss the ingredients again. Season to taste with salt and Aleppo pepper. Stir in more olive oil and/or wine vinegar if you wish.

Makes 6-8 servings 

Salmon and Farro Salad

We’re big on main course salads in our family. They’re usually easy, unfussy and filling. I also like that I can make them in advance.

I’ve made  numerous versions of this particular salad: I love farro but have also used barley, couscous and wheatberries. I change up the cheese, depending on what I have, and use red onions or shallots if I need my scallions for something else.

Of course I have also made this all-veggie or no-meat, replacing the salmon (or any other cooked fish) with cooked eggs, carrots, peas and zucchini.

This is such a versatile dish! Best served at room temperature.

Salmon and Farro Salad

• 12 ounces fresh salmon*

• olive oil or vegetable oil

• 1 cup farro

• 2-1/2 cups water

• 1 ripe avocado, cut into bite size pieces

• 3/4 cup crumbled feta, goat or blue cheese

• 2-3 scallions, chopped

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat a grill, broiler or grill pan. Brush the salmon with a film of vegetable oil and grill, broil or pan-broil for about 4 minutes per side or until cooked to desired consistency. Remove the fish from to a cutting board, cut into chunks and set aside to cool slightly. While the salmon is cooking, place the farro in a saucepan and cover with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the grain is cooked but still slightly chewy. Drain any remaining liquid. Place the cooked farro into a mixing bowl. Add the fish, avocado, cheese, scallions, oregano and mint. Toss gently to distribute the ingredients evenly. In a small bowl mix the vegetable oil, lemon juice and white wine vinegar. Pour over the ingredients and toss. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

*you can use drained, canned salmon

 Makes 4 servings

Turanicum (Kamut) and Vegetable Salad

I’m always excited when I discover a new whole grain. By new I actually mean one of those ancient grains that were known centuries ago but are new to the market.

Like kamut. I posted a recipe using kamut in a salad when I announced that my new cookbook is now available.

Kamut is the brand name for khorasan wheat. According to Andrew Weil, it was “rediscovered” in Egypt in 1949, which is why it is sometimes called “King Tut’s Wheat.” And some people believe that it was the "Prophet’s wheat" that Noah took into the ark.

It has another name too: turanicum, the name that attracted me because I’d never heard of it and it was a new featured product at my local supermarket. I wanted to know what it was and whether I would like it for the ways I use other grains — in salads, soup, casseroles, pilafs and stuffings.

I bought the turanicum not knowing it was kamut, but that’s okay. A rose by any other name ….

Turanicum, kamut, Prophet’s wheat, King Tut’s wheat, khorasan wheat —- call it what you will — this is good stuff. The grains are a nutritional powerhouse, packed with iron and other essential minerals and fatty acids, and has a higher protein value than other forms of wheat. They contain gluten and are not appropriate for those on a gluten free diet.

Turanicum grains are large and have a sweeter flavor than other grains (such as standard wheat, farro, bulgur and so on).

At summer’s end turanicum/kamut/whatever is lovely in a salad: cook it, add some raw or cooked vegetables, fresh herbs and homemade vinaigrette — the possibilities are endless. 

Here’s one version:

Turanicum and Vegetable Salad

1 cup turanicum

2 cups water

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 scallions, chopped

1 cup diced yellow squash

8 medium mushrooms cut into bite size pieces

1 cup chopped tomato

1 small, ripe avocado, cut into bite size pieces

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the turanicum in a bowl, cover with water and soak for one hour. Drain and place the turanicum in a saucepan. Add the 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for about 45 minutes or until they grains are tender, but still slightly chewy. If there is any liquid remaining, discard it and place the turanicum in a bowl. While the turanicum is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the scallions, squash and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften them. Add the vegetables to the bowl with the turanicum. Add the tomato and avocado. Toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice and basil together until well blended. Pour over the salad and toss. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 6 servings

Quinoa Salad with Broccoli, Yellow Squash and Tomatoes

Quinoa Salad with Broccoli, Yellow Squash and Tomatoes

Health and nutrition experts try in earnest to get everyone to eat more whole grains. I guess that’s a convincing message for some people, but for those of us who love food, the better reason is that ingredients like farro, bulgur wheat, oat groats and so on, are incredibly versatile and we can make them into wonderful things to eat.

I use cooked whole grains a lot because there is so much to do with them that my food is less likely to get boring. So — I put them into soups, side dishes, risottos, pilafs, and on and on — just as, in the old days, I used to use rice.

Now that warmer weather has arrived, there are going to be more salads on my menu. Cooked whole grains with: raw and cooked vegetables and/or fruit, maybe some nuts added. Mix in vinaigrette and it’s done.

So easy.

Quinoa isn’t a whole grain. It isn’t even a grain. It’s a seed.

But it looks and cooks like grain. It’s filling like a grain. And is as versatile.

So quinoa salad will be on my menu more often now too, starting with this one:  

Quinoa Salad with Broccoli, Yellow Squash and Tomatoes

1 cup quinoa

1 stalk broccoli, cut into bite size pieces (about 2 cups)

3-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow squash, cut into bite size pieces

4 scallions, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 cup cut up grape tomatoes

3 tablespoons lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Let drain. Bring 1-3/4 cups water to a boil, add the quinoa, stir, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and spoon the quinoa into a bowl to cool. While the quinoa is cooking, cook the broccoli in simmering water for about 3-4 minutes or until tender. Drain, let cool and add to the quinoa. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the squash and scallions and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften the vegetables slightly. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Spoon the vegetables into the bowl with the quinoa. Add the tomatoes and toss ingredients to distribute them evenly. In a separate bowl, combine the lemon juice, remaining olive oil and salt and pepper to taste; mix well. Pour over the quinoa mixture and toss. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings

Farro with Kale, Currants and Pignoli Nuts

It’s not even Hallowe’en but I’m thinking ahead to Thanksgiving and experimenting with some side dishes. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and for years we used to celebrate at my brother’s house but he moved to Buenos Aires and that’s too far to travel for dinner (I live in Connecticut).

So now Thanksgiving is at my place. And of course we have a big turkey and stuffing. 

But mostly I heavy up on the side dishes because there are several vegetarians who come. I want dinner to be delicious — and filling — for them too. Whole grain casseroles usually do the trick. Like this one, which is based on farro. 

I make farro a lot because I like the chewiness. Years ago recipes would say to cook it for ages, until it was soft, but I don’t do that. Just like I don’t cook vegetables until they’re soft.

Farro also has a rich, earthy, nutty flavor. And it is incredibly useful. I can make it into a casserole or a salad and even add it to soup. 

People are not as familiar with farro as some of the other grains, but you should give it a try if you haven’t already. You can probably find it in the supermarkets near the rice and quinoa. Health food stores have it.

If you can’t find it or you have some other grain in your house, you can make this dish anyway. Use spelt or oat groats or brown rice.

This dish is good topped with cheese plain. You don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving to make it. 

Farro with Kale, Currants and Pignoli Nuts

6-8 ounces kale

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup farro

3 tablespoons currants (or raisins)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1-3/4 cup vegetable stock

2 tablespoons toastd pignoli nuts

grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Wash the kale leaf by leaf to get rid of any dirt or sand. Remove and discard the thick stems. Chop the leaves and thin stems coarsely and set them aside. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and kale and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the farro, currants, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the ingredients. Pour in the stock. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook for one minute. Cover the pan, lower the heat and cook for about 25 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Sprinkle with the pignoli nuts, stir and place in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with cheese if desired. Makes 6 servings

Wheatberry Salad with Tomatoes and Olives

Can you grill dairy foods?

That’s a dilemma (sort of) this weekend as we celebrate two holidays at once! For Jews, it’s Shavuot. For all Americans, it’s Memorial Day, the unofficial start of the grilling season.

As far as the food stuff goes, Shavuot is the “dairy” holiday. When we eat all things cheese (as well as other dairy products), especially cheesecake. 

But, except for a few items, like grilled halloumi cheese, which is quite delicious (cut the cheese into strips, coat them with olive oil, stick them on a skewer and grill them until they’re crispy on the outside), we don’t grill most dairy products.

However, we can grill fish and eat them with other dairy products.

Or grill meat and eat some wonderful side dishes (and save the cheesecake for another time during the holiday).

This wheatberry salad fits perfectly into both holiday meals. It is a substantial side dish, you can make it ahead and it can be either dairy or non-dairy (leave the cheese out, substitute nothing or some other vegetable of tofu). You can make this into a meat-based salad too — add some cut up grilled chicken or beef, etc.

Matter of fact, this is a good, healthy salad choice for the entire summer.

My kids love when I make this kind of salad. This is the young generation’s way to eat now. Less meat, more whole grains and veggies. You can use this salad as part of a vegetarian meal.

Also, just as you can leave out the cheese, you can make this dish with a different grain (like barley or quinoa). Use different herbs. Play around with the recipe and invent on your own. Cook the grain according to the directions on the package. The rest, as the great sage Hillel said, “is commentary.”

Wheatberry Salad with Tomatoes and Olives

1 cup wheatberries

3 cups water

1 15-ounce can (drained) black beans

1 large avocado, cut into chunks

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped cheese or meat (optional)

1 fresh serrano pepper, deseeded and finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vingar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place the wheatberries in a large saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 50-60 minutes or until the wheat is tender. Drain any remaining liquid and place the wheatberries in a bowl to cool. Add the black beans, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, red onion, cheese or meat if used, serrano pepper and oregano and toss to distribute ingredients evenly. In a small bowl whisk the olive oil, wine vinegar, mustard and cumin. Pour over the salad and toss the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let the salad stand at least 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings

Farro Salad with Carrots, Peas, Tomatoes and Dill

Farro is becoming trendy. So says this article, which I read recently.

Actually, farro has been pretty popular in my house for the last several years. It’s one of those whole grains, you know, the stuff everyone says is so healthy, full of fiber and nutrients and so on.

It’s popular with me because it tastes so good and because there are so many things you can do with it.

I first cooked farro because I was getting bored with white rice, brown rice, black rice, red rice and every other kind of rice. And with pasta, potatoes and egg noodles. And there’s been an overload of quinoa recently too.

But I wanted something filling and “starchy” as a side dish with dinner. 

There was this little bag of farro in the store. It looked intriguing. I decided to give it a try.

SUCCESS! Farro is sumptuous and tastes sort of nutty and toasty.

I’ve made it dozens of ways, treating it just like rice: steamed, poached, sauteed, in pilaf. Plain. With vegetables. As a salad, drizzled with vinaigrette.

Every recipe is terrific.

Some say farro is the same as spelt, but it is actually a different, if similar grain. It is also a lot like wheatberries and oat groats (so you can substitute those in recipes). Farro is sometimes called emmer wheat. 

Do try it. You can use it all summer in a salad and all through the year in other ways.

Here’s one recipe we love at our house. 

Farro Salad with Carrots, Peas, Tomatoes and Dill

1 cup farro

1-3/4 cup water or vegetable stock

2 carrots, chopped

1 cup thawed frozen green peas

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the farro and water in a saucepan and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the farro is tender, but still chewy. Set the farro aside to cool slightly. Cook the carrots in boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Drain and add to the farro. Add the peas and tomatoes and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. In a separate bowl or a jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, dill and lemon peel. Whisk the ingredients until well combine (or shake in a covered jar). Pour into the farro mixture and toss the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4-6 servings 

Oat Groats Salad with Carrots and Raisins

Holiday weekends at my house remind me of two things: Tel Aviv Airport, with its zillions of people trying to get through security, which takes about 3 hours, and a scene from the movie The Godfather where Connie, crying her eyes out, calls her mother, who holds a baby on her hip while she stirs a pot of sauce and people are talking and kids are screaming and no one can hear anything. 

But I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a balagon, to be sure, but worth everything because I get to see my kids and grandkids and despite the noise (when you get older you forget that children up to a certain age cry at least once a day) and the mess and the unbelievable amount of fruit we go through, I love every fatiguing minute of it and look forward to the next one.

When that many people come to the house (we are 6 adults and 4 children ages 14 months through age 10), you have to keep the food simple. So we do. We’ve managed to work out the kinds of stuff we like to eat over the years although we have some differences among us. But we all like Spinach Pie and Grand Finale Cookies (both from my book, Hip Kosher) and salads, depending on the season. We had end-of-summer tomato salad during the Labor Day weekend (tomatoes, basil, avocado, lime juice and olive oil) and corn on the cob and grilled stuff. 

We also like salads made with whole grains. My daughter Gillian recently suggested that I experiment with oat groats, so I made this salad, which seemed to go over well and was really easy to cook. You can make the dish with any cooked whole grain. I consider oats somewhat sweeter than, say, farro or bulgur, so I liked the idea of including carrots and raisins, which are on the sweet side.

Don’t pay attention to the package instructions for cooking the groats. Most instructions for whole grains call for too much water and too much time, which make the grains mushy.  

Oat Groats Salad with Carrots and Raisins

1 cup oat groats

3 carrots, coarsely chopped

3-4 scallions, chopped

1/2 cup raisins

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, optional

3 tablespoons olive oil;

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the oat groats in a saucepan, cover with 2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for about 35 minutes or until the groats are tender but still a bit chewy. If there is any remaining water, strain the groats to discard the water. Spoon the groats into a bowl. Cook the carrots for 3-5 minutes or until tender but still firm. Drain and add to the groats. Add the scallions, raisins and herb, if used and stir the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in the olive oil and vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss ingredients and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings