This is not your grandmother's Mushroom Barley (sorry Grandma Rose!). This recipe uses mixed mushrooms, a bright pop of lemon and some parsley for that added freshness. It makes a terrific side dish or could be the star of a lunch table. I opted for Vegetable Stock to make this a vegetarian dish. If you are cooking for a Vegan you could leave out the butter and just add a touch more olive oil for flavor.
Serves 4
1 cup uncooked pearled barley
3 cups vegetable stock or broth
2 tsp flaky sea salt divided
1 tsp ground pepper divided
2 tbsp olive oil divided
2 large shallots peeled and sliced into rings
8 ounces mushrooms sliced
1 garlic clove minced
1 tbsp butter
6 sprigs tarragon
1 lemon juiced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
In a medium pot add vegetable stock and barley and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook stirring occasionally for 45-60 minutes until liquid is absorbed and barley is puffed up. Add barley to a large serving bowl and season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
Heat large sauté pan to low heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add shallots and sauté for 3-5 minutes until shallots are brown and crisp but not burnt. Add shallots to bowl with barley
Add remaining tbsp olive oil to pan and increase heat to medium. Add mushrooms and spread out. Let cook 3 minutes without stirring. Then mix and season with remaining salt and pepper. Mushrooms should be browned. Cook for another 2 minutes and add garlic, butter and thyme sprigs. Cool for another 2 minutes. Take off of heat. Carefully remove thyme sprigs and discard.
Add mushrooms to bowl of barley.
Add lemon juice and half the parsley and stir. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Top with additional parsley when serving.
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