Bring on the barley - includes recipe - Great Grains

Vegetarian Times, Dec, 1996 by Karen Cope Straus

From beer to soup, this Stone Age grain has proved its nutritional and culinary worth.

Barley was one of the first grains grown and cultivated to provide food for both humans and animals. During the early Roman Empire and the Middle Ages, the grain was associated with poverty because dense, coarse breads made with barley were eaten by the poor. Victorians soaked barley in water with lemon, then used the barley water as a restorative for invalids. In Scotland, bannock--cakes of barley meal, oats, almonds and orange peel--are baked on a griddle and served at breakfast and afternoon tea. Scotch broth, made with barley, lamb shanks and winter vegetables, is another Scottish staple.

Because barley has two hard inedible husks, most barley is milled to some degree in order to be edible. The word "pearling" is used to describe the refining of barley down to the grain's endosperm layer. After the husks, bran and germ are removed, the remaining grain resembles a pearl. Depending on the extent of the processing, pearled barley contains significantly fewer nutrients. For the highest protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, look for the largest kernels that have been pearled enough only to remove the tough outer layers.

An excellent hot breakfast cereal, barley also thickens soups and stews. Try it as a base for salads or pilafs instead of or combined with rice. Flavor enhancers include onion, mushrooms, parsley, thyme, garlic, chives, cilantro, basil, dill and peas.

Roasted and ground, barley is used as an ingredient in many coffee substitutes. Sprouted, dried and ground, it is used to make malt that is used in sweeteners, beer and Scotch production. Here's the book on barley:

* Varieties. Hulled, also called whole, has the tough outer husks removed and contains the nutrient-dense germ and bran. Scotch, or pot barley is husked and coarsely ground. Barley grits are husked and cracked into medium-coarse pieces. Pearled barley has had the husk and bran removed and has been steamed and polished. It comes in sizes of coarse, medium and fine. Medium is the most common packaged type. Barley flakes look like oatmeal and can be cooked in the same manner. Barley flour or meal is ground from pearled barley and must be combined with gluten-containing flour for use in yeast breads. A new barley hybrid, high beta-glucan hulless, does not require pearling and contains more soluble fiber. Unlike regular barley, the starch in hulless is more stable during freezing and thawing, which is helpful for freezing barley-based soups and casseroles.

* Preparation. To cook, add 1 cup barley to 3 cups cold water with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered until tender. Hulled or whole barley and high beta-glucan demand the longest cooking times, about 90 minutes. Scotch barley requires 60 minutes, and medium pearled barley needs about 45 minutes. To produce a softer grain and to reduce cooking time by about one-third, soak barley overnight or at least six hours. One cup uncooked barley yields about 4 cups.

* Nutrition. Barley is a good source of protein, potassium, calcium, iron, B vitamins and fiber. Hulled, whole barley has 59 grams of carbohydrate, 7 grams of protein and 2 grams of fat per cup. Pearled barley contains 44 grams of carbohydrate, 4 grams of protein and 1 gram of fat.

* Storage. Store barley in an air-tight container in a cool, dry, dark place. Use within six months.

Scotch Barley Broth

This is a hearty winter soup, even without the traditional lamb shanks. Pearled barley and barley flakes gives it stick-to-your-ribs goodness.

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crumbled
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup uncooked barley
6 cups vegetarian "beef" stock (see
glossary. p. g4) or vegetable stock
2 large carrots, diced
1 cup diced celeriac (see glossary. p. g4)
or celery
3/4 CUp diced turnip
1 leek, halved lengthwise, rinsed
and sliced thinly crosswise
1/2 cup barley flakes (see glossary. p. 94)

In heavy medium-sized saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Add barley; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft and barley is coated in oil and slightly toasted. Add stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Add carrots, celeriac or celery, turnip and leek; return to simmer. Cook until vegetables and barley are tender, about 10 minutes. Add barley flakes; stir. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Serve, if desired, with thick slices of whole grain bread. Makes 8 servings.

PER 1-CUP SERVING 131 CAL.; 3G PROT; 2G TOTAL FAT (0.3G SAT. FAT); 26G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 109MG SOD.; 3G FIBER. VEGAN