Chilled barley salad is a healthful summer dish. Photo courtesy Zabars.com.
Barley evokes winter and hearty soups, but it’s a year-round food.
It’s extremely healthful (details below). And it’s a whole grain, part of the group of cereals recommended by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (at least 3 servings of whole-grain foods per day).
It’s extremely high in fiber. A cup of oatmeal: 3.98 grams. A cup of barley: 13.6 grams of your DV of 48 grams of whole grain.
Barley is as versatile as any cereal grain (corn, rice and wheat, for example). It has a rich, nutty flavor and a chewy consistency (like pasta).
You can substitute barley for rice, potatoes or other starch as a side with dinner. Or enjoy a chilled barley salad with lunch or dinner.
Try this barley salad recipe, with toasted pine nuts, dried cherries and goat cheese. It can be served at room temperature, chilled or warm.
For maximum nutrition, select whole or hull barley (with the bran intact). The prettier pearled or hull-less barley has its outer bran and husk removed, leaving only a small white “pearl” of endosperm.
You can make a universal sauce or dip in 10 minutes, from plain yogurt.
Serve it with grilled fish, meat, poultry or even to top a burger. Or sweeten it and use it as a fruit dip.
You can also mix it with boiled potatoes, macaroni or shredded cabbage for a fat-free potato salad, macaroni salad or cole slaw.
The recipe makes 4 servings for a main course or a small bowl of dip. Use your creativity to mix and match the seasonings.
GARLIC-LIME YOGURT SAUCE RECIPE
Ingredients
1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (you can substitute other plain yogurt, but Greek-style is the thickest and creamiest)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, basil, chives or other favorite herb, minced
Preparation
Yogurt sauce is a creamy accent for grilled meats. Recipe and photo courtesy WisDairy.com.
1. COMBINE the yogurt, garlic, lime juice and herbs in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
2. DRIZZLE over your favorite grilled meats and vegetables, or serve with crudités.
TIP: YOGURT AS A MEAT TENDERIZER
Yogurt is a great marinade for meat and poultry. In addition to imparting flavor, it has excellent tenderizing properties. Add garlic, herbs, macerated onion and any other favorite seasonings to the yogurt marinade, or use this dip.
YOGURT DIP FOR FRUIT
1. REPLACE the garlic with one teaspoon agave, honey or sweetener of choice. (Only lightly sweeten the dip: You want to appreciate the sweetness of the fruit, not overwhelm it.)
2. REPLACE the herb with grated lime zest or other citrus zest (lemon, grapefruit).
Use foil to keep skewer tips from burning. Photo courtesy Seasoned Skewers.
Some grilling experts tell you to soak wooden skewers for at least half an hour before adding the food.
Others—including most of our grillmaster pals—say it doesn’t make a difference. The ends will burn regardless.
Here’s an easy trick to stop the ends from burning:
Lay two strips of foil on the grill, underneath the ends of the skewers. The body of the skewers remains exposed to open flame.
The foil prevents the ends from burning. How easy is that?
Some of our friends wrap the tips of each skewer in foil. If you find that it’s too hard to turn the skewers while keeping the tips on the foil strips, consider that as an alternative.
As long as the grill is fired, here’s a tasty appetizer that goes great with drinks: Mediterranean Grilled Mozzarella Skewers with tomatoes, kalamata olives and caperberries.
The recipe was created by Chef James Campbell Caruso for EatWisconsinCheese.com. It makes six skewers.
For July 4th, use red grape tomatoes, red grapes and/or purple olives.
Preparation
1. In a large bowl, mix the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, pepper flakes and garlic. Add the remaining ingredients; toss well to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours to marinate.
2. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium.
3. For 8-inch skewers, thread 1 mozzarella ball, 1 grape, 1 olive, 1 tomato and 1 caperberry on each skewer; repeat so you have two of each item on each skewer. For 6-inch skewers, thread 1 of each item, in the same order.
4. Grill the skewers on all sides for 5 to 7 minutes or until the cheese is soft and the skewers are thoroughly heated. Serve the skewers as a tapa or side to grilled meat.
Who needs maple syrup? Grab the jam jar. Photo by Daniel Gilbey | IST.
Want pancakes but are out of syrup?
Grab a jar of jam, jelly or preserves.
Scoop jam into a bowl and whisk with enough hot water to create the consistency you want.
If it’s an adults-only event, add a teaspoon or more of Grand Marnier or fruit liqueur. You can combine flavors; for example, orange liqueur with strawberry jam.
Or, you can use the jam for stuffed pancakes. Make large, thin pancakes or crepes that can be filled with jam and folded in half, as in the photo.
