Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad

For those of you with a green thumb (mine is usually more of a dull black & blue), this is a great recipe to use all that bounty overflowing from your garden. It must be a challenge to use all those fresh vegetables, which are probably all maturing at the same time, before they go bad. I'm assuming this because people with gardens are always giving away their crops with a big smile that smacks of desperation. They don't want to see their harvest wasted, but if they have to eat one more zucchini, they'll lose it. So this recipe is also for the family, friends and neighbors of those gardeners...do them a solid and turn their crops into a nice, hearty vegetable salad (of course if you do, they just keep bringing you more). I guess you can always buy them a canning set for their birthday and see if they take the hint.

MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT AND BARLEY SALAD

Makes 5-6 (main course) or 8-10 (side dish) servings

1 1/2 lb. eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3/4 lb. zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup chopped scallion (from 1 bunch)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne (to taste)

1 1/4 cups pearl barley (8 oz)

2 ½ cups (20 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/2 lb. cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/3 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and halved

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, rinsed and drained if desired

1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
6 oz. block feta cheese, crumbled into medium chunks

Roast eggplant and zucchini:
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 425° F.

Toss eggplant and zucchini with 5 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, then spread in 2 oiled large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pans. Roast vegetables in oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes total. Combine vegetables in 1 pan and cool, reserving other pan for cooling barley.

Cook barley:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook scallion, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add barley and cook, stirring until well coated with oil, 2 minutes more. Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all of liquid is absorbed and barley is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer to reserved shallow baking pan and spread to quickly cool, uncovered, to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Make dressing and assemble salad:
Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add barley, roasted vegetables, and remaining ingredients (except the cheese) to bowl with dressing and toss until combined well. Toss in the cheese.

Cooks' note: Salad can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Return to room temperature before serving.

barely adapted from Gourmet, September 2006

eggplant and zucchini

chopped eggplant and zucchini drizzled
with oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper

before roasting

roasted

chopping scallions

scallions and spices

adding barley

adding water and broth

cooked barley

barley cooling

dressing ingredients

dressing whisked

everything but the cheese

mixed with dressing

feta

Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad

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Barley, Feta and Pear Salad

Welcome to day five of Greek week. That's right, Greek week isn't a work week, it's a full seven days and still going strong.  So break out the ouzo and make yourself comfortable.

I don't think my husband will mind if I say I fell in love with this salad (he's not the jealous type). I just loved the warm and cold combination. And all those distinct flavors that work so well together: the tangy feta with the sweet pear and slightly bitter radicchio. Plus the variety of textures: the crunchy nuts, chewy barley and soft pear.  All with just the right amount of light dressing to let all those flavors shine through. I wish I knew how to say delicious in Greek (I looked it up, but that didn't really help me).

 

BARLEY, FETA, AND PEAR SALAD

Makes 4 servings

2/3 cup pearl barley

1/2 cup walnuts

3/4 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves, roughly chopped

1 large (or 2 small) celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 small head radicchio, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 firm, ripe pear, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.      Cook barley in boiling water until tender, about 30 minutes.

2.      Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375° F.  Toast walnuts on a sheet pan until golden, about 7 minutes.

3.      Drain barley and transfer to a bowl. Add feta, walnuts, parsley, celery, radicchio, pear, lemon juice, and oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste (it may not need much salt if the feta is very salty). Toss until combined.

adapted from Gourmet, November 1998

radicchio

chopped radicchio

fresh parsley

cooked pearl barley

mixing the salad