Funny you should mention Barley Salad. I got a small sample bag of figs from Nutsonline.com with my latest order and found a recipe I wanted to try them in and it just happens to be a Barley Salad. -Grainlady ;-)

BARLEY SALAD WITH FIGS AND TARRAGON-LEMON DRESSING
(source: Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - by Maria Speck)

Barley:
2 c. water
3/4 c. pearl barley
1 (2x1-inch) strip lemon zest - optional)
3 peppercorns
pinch of fine sea salt

Salad, and to finish:

1 lemon
1/4 c. chopped dried figs, preferably Greek or Turkish (4-6)
2 stalks chopped celery, halved lengthwise if large, and cut into 1/4-inch slices (1 cup)
1/2 c. chopped tangy apple, such as Macintosh or Granny Smith (about 1/2 an apple)
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 t. honey
1/4 t. fine sea salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 T. finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 T. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. To prepare the barley, bring the water, barley, lemon zest, peppercorns, and salt to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the barley is tender but still slightly chewy, 30-40 minutes. Remove from the heat and, if you have time, let sit, covered, for 5-10 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid and transfer the barley to a large serving bowl to cool. Remove the zest and the peppercorns.

2. To prepare the salad, finely grate the zest of the lemon until you have 2 t. zest. Squeeze the fruit to get 2 T. juice (reserve leftover lemon for another use). Place the dried figs in a small bowl and stir in 1 T. of the lemon juice. Set aside. Add the celery, green onions, and apple to the serving bowl.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, the remaining 1 T. lemon juice, the zest, and 2 t. of the h9oney. Season with the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, add more honey if you like, and then stir in 1 T. of the tarragon and 1 T. of the parsley.

4. To finish, add the barley and the plumped figs with any juices to the bowl and stir together. Drizzle on the dressing and toss to combine. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes for the flavors to mingle. Toss again, sprinkle with the remaining 1 T. of tarragon and 1 T. of parsley, and serve.

To get a heat start: Make the barley, as in step 1, ahead of time. The entire salad can also be prepared up to 8 hours ahead. Chill, covered. Bring to room temperature refresh with a bit more olive oil before serving.

To vary it: For a more textured dish, you can use whole grain hulled barley, soaked overnight. Or combine 1/4 c. soaked, hulled barley with 1/2 c. pearl barley for a pleasing mixture.

These look so good. I make a barley salad (or sometimes wheat berry, I switch off between the two) with different types of olives, roasted tomatoes, and red onion.

BEEF-BARLEY SALAD � serves 4

10 oz. well-trimmed flank steak
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 cups defatted chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking barley
6 oz. green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 carrots, shredded
2 tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
2 Tbs. coarsely chopped toasted pecans
4 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves

Rub the steak with 1 Tbs. of the lemon juice and the salt. Grill or broil until medium-rare. Let cool, then refrigerate overnight. Next day, cut the steak on the diagonal in bite-size pieces, reserving any juices.

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of the broth, 1/2 cup of water, the garlic, lemon zest, and ginger and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the barley, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the barley is almost tender, about 8 minutes. Add the green beans and cook until the beans are crisp-tender and the barley is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; do not drain any remaining liquid.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup broth, the remaining 3 Tbs. lemon juice, the steak juices, and the oil. Add the beef and everything else except the lettuce, tossing well to combine.

Pack lettuce and salad mixture separately and serve salad on top of lettuce.

I cook barley in my pressure cooker, 1 cup barley, 2 cups water, 11 minutes at pressure, natural release and cool down. I wonder how barley would be as a sub for bulgar in tabouli? Hmmmm....might have to try that as I love me some tabouli when hot weather arrives.

Teresa

Teresa-

I make a lot of tabouli when the tomatoes and cucumbers are plentiful from the garden, and I use a lot of different grains than just wheat bulgar, and cooked pearled barley is a great alternative and you can find lots of recipes online.

I make my own bulgar from wheat, but I also make it with spelt, kamut, barley (the whole grain, not pearled), rye and triticale. I've made tabouli with cooked kasha (roasted buckwheat groats). Another favorite grain for making tabouli is quinoa. Yesterday I made a tabouli-like salad using sprouted lentils instead of a grain, so let your imagination go.

-Grainlady

Thanks - great ideas everyone. There will be some new and tasty barley salad as the warm weather hits!

Alexa