How to make Barley Salad with Mushrooms? It can be made with just a little effort. Barley is an ancient grain, now used primarily in beer and whiskey production. Pearl barley is made of hulled and polished barley grains. It�s available in several varieties, depending on the thickness of the grain itself; coarse or medium pearl barley is best for this dish. Consider making this dish ahead and storing it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, a good lunch to pull out when the days get hectic. Makes 6 servings. Here are step by step directions:

Barley Salad with Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS :

• 31/2 cups water
• 1 cup coarse or medium pearl barley
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise, regular, low-fat, or homemade
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons walnut oil or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon stemmed thyme or
• 11/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS :

1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat. Stir in the barley; cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh colander set in the sink and transfer to a large serving bowl. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they release their liquid and it reduces to a glaze, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the bell pepper, onion, and celery; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the bowl with the barley.
4. Stir in the mayonnaise, parsley, vinegar, oil, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Set aside for 10 minutes to blend the fl avors or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Variations:

For a creamier salad, increase the mayonnaise to 1/2 cup. For a more nutritious salad, use hulled or whole-grain barley; adjust its cooking times as indicated on the package. For a quicker salad, bring only 2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Stir in 1 cup quick-cooking barley, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain as directed and proceed with the recipe.

Hope you enjoy this nice recipe and Bon Apetit, Emely

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