Barley, Mushroom, and Dill Salad

Serves 6
Barley and mushrooms are typically united in soup, but they also make an excellent salad. Dill adds sweet, herbaceous notes.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 10 cremini or white button mushrooms, stems removed
  • 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 cups cooked pearl barley, tossed with 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar while warm
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 celery stalk, sliced on the bias
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat a skillet over high heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon oil. Cook mushrooms, cap sides down, for 5 minutes. Let cool; slice.
  2. Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup oil, the vinegar, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss together mushrooms, barley, carrot, celery, scallion, and dill. Drizzle vinaigrette over top; toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
cook's note
VARIATIONS
To make this recipe as it appeared on Mad Hungry in March 2011, eliminate the scallion. To cook barley: bring 1 cup barley, 2 cups water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small pot. Reduce to simmer, and cook until tender, about 40 minutes.

COOK'S NOTES
Salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
pantry
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