Lately, I have been on a mushroom kick. It seems like every recipe I choose to test has mushrooms in it. That is not a bad thing. Mushrooms are like an all-natural multivitamin with a host of B vitamins, vitamin D, copper, selenium, potassium, and calcium, along with protein & fiber. With all that nutrition in them, it is hard to believe that mushrooms are more than 90% water, but they are. They also have antibacterial properties and are good for the immune system.

There are at least 14,000 types of mushrooms. Only about half of the known varieties are edible. Those are the fleshy fruit bodies of several species of macrofungi. They all have their own unique shape, flavor, and texture. While most of the mushrooms sold and eaten in the U.S. are white button mushrooms, cremini, portabella, shiitake, and oyster are other common types. We personally tend to use cremini or ‘baby bellas’ most often. While they are the same species as the white button mushrooms, they are a different strain of that species and have a deeper and earthier flavor, darker color, and a firmer texture than the white ones. Here, they are paired with barley, herbs, and Parmesan cheese for a fantastic side dish.

Barley & Mushroom Salad

Barley & Mushroom Salad (adapted from bonapetit.com) Makes: 4 Main Dish or 8 Side Dish servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pearl barley
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, cut into large pieces
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, plus some shaved Parmesan for serving

Preparation:

Cook the barley in a medium pot of boiling salted water until it is tender, according to the package directions. Drain the barley if needed and set it aside.

Cook the barley.

Meanwhile, cook the shallots in the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally to keep the shallots from burning, until they are golden brown, about 5–7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to a small bowl to cool, season them with salt, and reserve the shallot cooking oil.

Cook the shallots in the vegetable oil.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it is hot. Arrange the mushrooms in the skillet in a single layer and cook them, undisturbed, until the undersides are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, tossing them, and continue to cook them, tossing often and reducing the heat as needed to avoid scorching, until they are golden brown all over, about 5 minutes longer.

Saute the mushrooms.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and butter to the mushrooms in the skillet. Tip skillet toward you so butter pools at the edge and use a spoon to baste the mushrooms with the foaming butter, continuing to cook them until the butter smells nutty.

Add the butter to the mushrooms.

Toss the cooled barley, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, 1 1/2 ounces of Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved shallot oil in a large bowl to combine them. Season the salad with salt and pepper.

Combine the barley, shallots, & cheese with the herbs.

Add the mushrooms and toss the salad again to combine it.

Add the mushrooms to the mix.

Just before serving, top the salad with the fried shallots and some shaved Parmesan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Great as a side or a vegetarian main dish.

The mushrooms make this a memorable salad!  ~Linda

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pearl barley
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, cut into large pieces
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, plus some shaved Parmesan for serving

Preparation:

Cook the barley in a medium pot of boiling salted water until it is tender, according to the package directions. Drain the barley if needed and set it aside.

Meanwhile, cook the shallots in the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally to keep the shallots from burning, until they are golden brown, about 5–7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to a small bowl to cool, season them with salt, and reserve the shallot cooking oil.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it is hot. Arrange the mushrooms in the skillet in a single layer and cook them, undisturbed, until the undersides are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, tossing them, and continue to cook them, tossing often and reducing the heat as needed to avoid scorching, until they are golden brown all over, about 5 minutes longer.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and butter to the mushrooms in the skillet. Tip skillet toward you so butter pools at the edge and use a spoon to baste the mushrooms with the foaming butter, continuing to cook them until the butter smells nutty.

Toss the cooled barley, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, 1 1/2 ounces of Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved shallot oil in a large bowl to combine them. Season the salad with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and toss the salad again to combine it.

Just before serving, top the salad with the fried shallots and some shaved Parmesan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.