Mushroom Barley Salad

Barley is an ancient grain, now used primarily in beer and whiskey production. Pearl barley is made of hulled and polished barley grains. It’s available in several varieties, depending on the thickness of the grain itself; coarse or medium pearl barley is best for this dish. Consider making this dish ahead and storing it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, a good lunch to pull out when the days get hectic.

31⁄2 cups water

1 cup coarse or medium pearl barley

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1⁄4 cup mayonnaise, regular, low-fat, or homemade

1⁄4 cup chopped parsley leaves

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons walnut oil or olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon stemmed thyme or

11⁄2 teaspoons dried thyme

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat. Stir in the barley; cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh colander set in the sink and transfer to a large serving bowl. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they release their liquid and it reduces to a glaze, about 4 minutes.
• Add the bell pepper, onion, and celery; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the bowl with the barley.
• Stir in the mayonnaise, parsley, vinegar, oil, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Set aside for 10 minutes to blend the flavors or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Makes 6 servings