Multi Grain Salad

I’m always on the lookout for delicious and interesting side dishes as the bounty of summer gardens fill my refrigerator. I’m especially fond of recipes that use up miscellaneous small amounts of vegetables that haven’t yet found their way onto our plates. Sometimes inspirations come from the most unlikely places.

We were flying home this weekend from our first trip in about 18 months to visit our family in Seattle. With a two-hour layover in Detroit, we were able to enjoy a bite to eat at the airport lounge. One of the items in the small buffet was a “mixed grain salad with brussels sprouts and dried cranberries” which looked like a healthier option than the cheesy pasta with marinara sauce. The multi-grain salad had a light lemon vinaigrette dressing and a refreshing balance of earthy grains mixed with fresh vegetables. Since I already had most of the ingredients on hand at home, I decided to recreate the dish as soon as I got back.

My recipe calls for a mixture of barley and black (Beluga) lentils; this tuxedo-colored combination can be dressed-up or dressed-down, depending on what’s available from the Farmers’ Market. Although my recipe as presented is vegan, it would taste phenomenal with a sprinkling of crumbled feta cheese or perhaps with some chunks of smoked salmon (or leftover grilled salmon). The lemon vinaigrette is a neutral flavor that enhances whatever you add. For a more colorful approach, add some sliced bell peppers, corn kernels or even some lightly roasted butternut squash. The salad can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled, making it a perfect addition to a picnic.

MULTI GRAIN SALAD
1 cup pearled barley
1 cup small black (beluga) lentils
½ cup chopped scallions
½ cup coarsely chopped nuts (I use honey roasted pecans)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup cored and thinly sliced (shaved) brussels sprouts (about 10)
Chopped fresh herbs for serving

For the Vinaigrette
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest from two lemons
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt

Carefully rinse and pick through the pearled barley to make sure there aren’t any small stones. Place the barley and 3 cups of water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the barley simmer for 25 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the water hasn’t all evaporated. If it is getting dry, add another cup of water. After 25 minutes, check the barley for tenderness. It should be soft, but not mushy. Drain and discard any residual water and place the cooked barley into a large bowl to cool.

While the barley is cooking, make the vinaigrette – place the oil, lemon juice and zest, mustard and salt into a small container and whisk well to combine.

As soon as you place the cooked barley in the bowl, pour on the vinaigrette. Let the barley cool, stirring occasionally as it absorbs the flavor of the vinaigrette.

As with the barley, rinse and pick through the black lentils to make sure that there are no stones. Place the black lentils and 3 cups of water into your medium saucepan and let them simmer for 15- 20 minutes. The black lentils will hold their shape during cooking. When done, rinse and drain the lentils. Add them to the bowl with the barley, tossing gently to combine.

Add the brussels sprouts, scallions, nuts and dried cranberries. Top with some chopped fresh herbs or even with a sprinkling of some large salmon roe for beautiful color and a large flavor burst.

Note: I cook the barley and lentils separately because the black Beluga lentils give off a lot of color as they cook and I want the salad to have a beautiful black-and-white contrast, not a murky greyish color.