By Postman Pat
*0366kcal[8.5][10/10]* Barley Salad with Pomegranate, Pistachios, and Feta
2 steps
Prep:20minCook:40min
America's Test Kitchen - The Complete Salad Cookbook.
Barley, said to be the first domesticated wild grass, has been widely used in Egypt since ancient times. Cumin is the nation’s most used spice and pomegranates hold a sacred place in the culture. Inspired by these Egyptian flavors, we created a salad with barley as the base. First we had to choose a cooking method for our barley that allowed the grains to remain distinct. We turned to the trusty pasta method, in which we simply boil the grains in plenty of salted water until they’re tender and then spread them on a baking sheet to dry rather than allowing them to clump in the pot. For flavor, we incorporated toasty pistachios, beloved in the Middle East; tangy pomegranate molasses; and cilantro, all balanced by warm, earthy spices and sweet golden raisins. Salty feta cheese, scallions, and pomegranate seeds adorned the top of our colorful composed salad. If you can’t find pomegranate molasses, make your own (recipe follows). Do not substitute hulled barley or hull-less barley in this recipe. If using quick-cooking or presteamed barley (read the package carefully to determine this), you will need to decrease the barley cooking time in step 1.
Updated at: Sat, 24 Feb 2024 15:05:02 GMT
Nutrition balance score
Great
Glycemic Index
29
Low
Glycemic Load
16
Moderate
Nutrition per serving
Calories366.7 kcal (18%)
Total Fat13.5 g (19%)
Carbs55.1 g (21%)
Sugars10 g (11%)
Protein8.9 g (18%)
Sodium374.7 mg (19%)
Fiber9.9 g (35%)
% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Ingredients
6 servings
1 ½ cupspearl barley
½ tsptable salt
plus salt for cooking barley
2 Tbsppomegranate molasses
½ tspcinnamon
ground
¼ tspcumin ground
3 Tbspextra-virgin olive oil
plus extra for drizzling
½ cupcilantro
fresh, coarsely chopped or mint
⅓ cupgolden raisins
or chopped dried apricots
¼ cupshelled pistachios
toasted and chopped coarse, or whole almonds
¾ cupfeta
cubed or crumbled, or goat cheese
6scallions
green parts only, sliced thin
½ cuppomegranate seeds
Instructions
Step 1
Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add barley and 1 tablespoon salt; return to boil; and cook until tender, 20 to 40 minutes. Drain barley; spread onto rimmed baking sheet; and let cool completely, about 15 minutes. (Barley can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
Step 2
Whisk molasses, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and oil together in large bowl. Add barley, cilantro, raisins, and pistachios and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread barley salad evenly on serving platter and top with feta, scallions, and pomegranate seeds in separate diagonal rows. Drizzle with extra oil and serve.
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