Barley recipes...other than soup

[Jem]

I want to start eating more barley. I love barley but never really had it or cooked with it in anything other than soup.
Anyone have any good recipes that use barley as a side dish? Can it be eaten like plain rice with butter, salt and pepper?...or is the texture too weird?
Good in salads? casseroles?
Any experience or recipes using barley would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Juniper_Junebug]

I use pearled barley instead of rice when I'm in the mood. For example, I saute some garlic, add smoked paprika, then thaw a cup of frozen kale, add half cup of barley, and half cup of whatever beans or lentils I have on hand (barley is great with fava beans, imho), plus a little soy sauce and red wine if I have it, maybe some parm. Super hearty and healthful.

I also make a barley vegetable casserole, though I can't seem to find the recipe.

 

[Jem]

Also, does anyone know the difference in texture between hulled and pearled barley? I know the hulled would need to be soaked and cooked longer, but does it still have that soft chewy end result or does it feel like it has a "firm" skin on it....sorry texture is important to me and my husband is even worse than I am and not very adventurous either.

 

[Juniper_Junebug]

Hulled barley, to me, has the texture of wheat berries. Even though I try to eat whole grains, I make an exception for pearled barley, which I vastly prefer and which still (as I understand it) has plenty of nutrients. Hulled barley, though it's had the hull removed (duh), still seems like it has an outer membrane that makes a crunch when you bite into it, whereas pearled barley has a softer (but still a little chewy) uniform texture.

I don't think hulled barley makes a good sub for rice, though it could be good in a cold salad, where crunch was desirable.

 

[Jem]

Hulled barley, to me, has the texture of wheat berries

I've never had wheat berries...that I know of anyway... But I get the gist of what your saying.