Radicchio Salad With Crunchy Shiitake Mushrooms and Barley
A colorful grain salad is the perfect light meal. Here, barley adds heft and texture to a bitter leaf salad that’s balanced with a sweet-tart dressing. The sleeper hit of this recipe are the crispy shiitake mushrooms, which impart deep flavor in two ways: They are pan-seared, and the caramelization left in the pan adds extra umami to the dressing. For gluten-free diets, you could substitute buckwheat groats or brown rice in place of the pearled barley.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- ¾cup pearled barley, rinsed
- 1medium yellow onion, halved
- 4garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ¼cup vegetable oil
- ¼pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
- 1shallot, thinly sliced
- 4tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1tablespoon maple syrup
- 1large (12-ounce) head radicchio, core discarded and leaves torn into bite-size pieces
- ¼cup roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ¼cup roughly chopped small fresh dill sprigs
Instructions
Step 1
Combine barley, onion, garlic and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the barley by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer until the grains are plump and tender, about 40 minutes. Drain the mixture, and discard the onion and garlic.Step 2
After barley has cooked about 30 minutes, prepare the mushrooms: Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and the ends are starting to curl and crisp, 9 to 10 minutes. Using a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt and pepper.Step 3
Return the skillet with the oil back to medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes; turn off the heat. While the oil is still hot, stir in balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper.Step 4
On a platter, layer the radicchio with cooked barley and drizzle with balsamic vinegar dressing. Top with reserved mushrooms, parsley and dill before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.