Asparagus, Barley & Lemon Salad

It was cold and rainy on Tuesday. I wore wool socks and boots to the library for the 10:30 am story time. About three quarters of the way through the event Gray said in his little squeaky voice “home” which is code for “if we don’t leave now I’m falling asleep on the rug.” On our way out I noticed Maria Speck’s new book Simply Ancient Grains resting on the shelf. The salad on the cover was so tempting I grabbed the book and made it for lunch the next day (luckily, the sun came back).

I slightly tweaked the recipe (mainly substituting pear barley for Kamut) but here is what Maria says about the salad:

This lemony salad wakes you up after a long cold winter. Lots of crisp fresh asparagus and radishes are tossed with a brazen dressing that packs a tangy punch but also miraculously mellows and marries the ingredients. Make this salad only if you can find really fresh asparagus stalks-otherwise it just won’t taste good. The stems should be firm, not wobbly, with equally firm tips. There will be a bit of vinaigrette left, which you need if you add other ingredients. Variations – Add 1 cup cooked shredded chicken or 1 cup packed fresh baby spinach. Instead of Parmesan top with 1/2 cup crumbled feta. Try using spelt, emmer, einkorn, and whole wheat berries, preferably the soft type, in place of Kamut.

Spring Salad with Asparagus Coins, Barley, and Lemon Vinaigrette

slightly adapted from Simply Ancient Grains by Maria Speck

serves 4 to 6

1 cup pearl barley

2 1/2 cups water

1 or 2 lemons

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup minced shallots (about 1 medium)

1 small bunch asparagus, rinsed and trimmed (scant 1 pound)

1 cup thinly sliced radishes (about 8), plus a few small ones for garnish

1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 to 3/4 cup thinly shaved Parmesan, using a box grater, for serving

Add the water and barley to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until tender with a slight chewiness, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid and transfer the barley to a large serving bowl to cool.

Finely grate the lemon until you have 2 teaspoons zest, then squeeze it until you have 1/4 cup juice. Add the lemon juice, zest, mustard, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl and combine with a fork. Stir in the shallots and set aside.

Meanwhile, cut off the asparagus tips, slice the tips in half lengthwise, and set aside for garnish. Chop the asparagus stalks into thin coins. Transfer asparagus coins to the bowl with the barley. Add the radishes. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the dill for garnish and add the remaining dill to the bowl.

To finish, using a small whisk, slowly add the olive oil to the dressing, whisking until it is emulsified. Drizzle 1/2 cup of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine well. Season with salt, pepper, and perhaps a bit more lemon juice to taste. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes for the flavors to mingle.