Braised Carrot Pearl Barley Salad

I’m not sure what the weather’s like where you are but we’ve got a lovely warm spring day. The shorts are on, Katrina and the Waves are playing on the music system, and there’s the talk of a BBQ. This got me thinking and an old recipe I used to cook a number of years ago came to mind. A delicious and healthy salad that can be a great accompaniment to a larger meal, like a BBQ, but is equally great as a standalone recipe. In fact, this dish is really good as a healthy lunch when at work. Delicious braised carrot and pearl barley salad.

Doesn’t it look good? Very tasty, exceedingly healthy, and a salad recipe that’s very simple to make. Before I show you though, a quick word about pearl barley.

Pearl barley is edible warm or cold and is great for salads. It can also be used as a substitute for rice. Pearl barley is packed full of nutrients but its main health benefit is its fibre content. Pearly barely has more fibre than rice which helps fight off heart disease and diabetes. It can also help reduce cholesterol and support colon health. One other great benefit of high fibre is that it stops you feeling hungry due to its slow energy release qualities. This can help lose weight. Pearly barley is very close to being a superfood ????.

Ok, let’s get on and make this braised carrot pearl barley salad…

1. Gather all of the ingredients together

Although there is some cooking to be done to make this salad there are still only 7 ingredients, plus a little oil and seasoning. All that’s needed is pearl barley, baby carrots, shallots, garlic, fennel seeds, parsley and the zest from one lemon. Easy!

The ingredient measurements are provided in the printable recipe below and serve enough salad for at least 8 people. Remember though, pearl barley is very filling so if this salad is being served as a side dish then holding back a little on the amount of barley may be prudent.

2. Prepare the ingredients

There is hardly any preparation required for this recipe. Take the zest from the lemon, finely chop the garlic, peel and quarter the shallots, and slice the baby carrots. I slice the carrots lengthways so the vegetable is still quite large. However, thin strips are also ok just remember that they will need less cooking.

3. Braise the vegetables

Whether the vegetables are braised or roasted really doesn’t matter here. Personally, I like to brown them slightly on the stove before putting in the oven but either way is fine.

If braising, take the carrots, and shallots and place in a large roasting tray. Add the oil and heat these on a stove and cook for a couple of minutes or so. As soon as the vegetables start to colour remove from the stove and mix in the garlic, lemon zest and fennel seeds.

Place the roasting tray in a preheated oven at 200C / 180C Fan for 30-40 minutes until the carrots are cooked. Toss or stir the vegetables every 10 minutes or so just to mix the flavours and stop the garlic from burning.

4. Cook the pearl barley

The pearl barley is simply boiled. First, wash the grains and then place in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Remember that pearl barley, similar to rice, will absorb a lot of the water and expand in size. Make sure, therefore, the pan used is at least double the size of the that which the barley fills.

Place the pan on the stove and bring to the boil. Now, simmer for around 30 minutes or until the barley is al dente. Once cooked, remove from the stove and strain in a sieve.

5. Complete the braised carrot pearl barley salad and serve

Once the vegetables and pearl barley are cooked add the barley to the vegetables and mix together.

Season this to taste and then add the chopped parsley and mix in.

This salad is now ready to serve warm if you like. Otherwise, let it cool and serve when required. Either way, this is a yummy salad and will be thoroughly enjoyed by all.

And that’s about it folks. Braised carrot pearl barley salad. A wonderfully healthy and delicious salad that can be served as part of a barbeque banquet or as a great lunch on a workday. Just make the day before. Also, perfect if on a vegan diet. Yum!

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As always, many thanks for reading and until next time… Steve.

6. Nutritional values

7. Printable recipe