Barley Bravo Recipes

SLOW COOKER 5-MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Heat water in a slow cooker set to High until hot; add barley, beef broth, milk, olive oil, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, white mushrooms, brown beech mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, black mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, salt, and ground mixed peppercorns to the slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on High for 1 hour.
• Remove shiitake mushrooms with a slotted spoon and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Reduce heat setting to Low and continue cooking 7 hours more.

BARLEY-STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan combine the broth, mushrooms, and barley.
• Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
• Simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until barley is tender.
• Drain thoroughly.
• Cut sweet peppers in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membranes.
• If desired, precook pepper halves in boiling water for 3 minutes.
• Drain on paper towels.
• In a medium mixing bowl stir together the egg, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the tomato, zucchini, bread crumbs, basil, rosemary, onion salt, and bottled hot pepper sauce.
• Stir in cooked barley mixture.
• Place peppers, cut side up, in a 2-quart rectangular baking dish.
• Spoon barley mixture into the pepper halves.
• Bake stuffed peppers, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is heated through.
• Sprinkle remaining cheese over the peppers.
• Return to oven; bake 2 minutes more.
• Carefully transfer peppers to a serving platter.
• If desired, garnish with fresh rosemary and dried red chili peppers.

TOASTED BARLEY AND TOMATO STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the barley on a rimmed baking sheet and spread it into a single layer. Toast it in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. While the barley is toasting, put the onions, celery, leek, shallots, and garlic in a large dry pot over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add the roasted barley and stir for 1 minute so that the barley absorbs some of the tomato flavor. Stir in the broth and dried onion flakes. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the barley is soft, about 90 minutes. Stir in the arugula, rosemary, and thyme just before serving. Serve hot. Note: Pearl barley, which is more refined than hulled barley, can be used in this recipe. However, I generally avoid using pearl barley because it has been steamed and polished. The cooking time for pearl barley is about the same as for hulled barley.

KELLY'S SLOW COOKER BEEF, MUSHROOM, AND BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Stir beef stock, tomato sauce, water, onion, carrot, barley, mushrooms, and garlic together in a slow cooker.
• Season beef chunks with garlic salt, salt, and black pepper; add to the beef stock mixture. Add bay leaves to the slow cooker.
• Cook on Low until the soup thickens and the beef is tender, about 6 hours.
• Remove and discard the bay leaves to serve.