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Summer Barley Salad

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Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of water or low salt vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup pearled barley
  • ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium cucumbers
  • 1 medium crook neck squash
  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 2 scallions
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1-2 Tablespoons tarragon vinegar or balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh tarragon Mexican Mint Marigold or Basil
  • 1 clove of garlic finely minced
  • Finely grated zest of ¼ lemon
  • Pinch of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Watercress or arugula for garnish

Instructions

  • Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and stir in the barley.  Simmer, partially covered for 25 minutes or until tender.  Drain and set aside in a medium bowl. Toss barley with the ½ tablespoon olive oil.
  • Peel seed and cut cucumbers into 1/4 inch dice.
  • Cut the squash and the zucchini into 1/4 inch dice and blanch for 2 minutes in boiling salted water.  Drain and run under cold water.  Drain again.
  • Trim 1 inch off the green ends of the scallions and then cut scallions into ¼ inch lengths.
  • Mix the mayonnaise in a small bowl to make a smooth sauce.  Add the remaining ingredients for the dressing to the mayonnaise and stir to combine.
  • Mix the barley, squash, zucchini and scallions in a bowl with the dressing. 7. Pour mixture into a clean serving bowl and garnish with some watercress or arugula leaves, if you want, and serve.
  • erve at room temperature or chill for later use.
  • Tina’s Tidbits:
  • Tossing barley with a small amount of oil will prevent the grain from absorbing all the moisture from the dressing
  • For a more robust color, add diced red bell peppers or small, halved, cherry tomatoes to the barley mixture before adding the dressing
  • Blanching vegetables for a short period of time brings out the natural sweetness and color as well as slightly softening the food