By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- 4(88)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Barley water is used to make nutritious beverages in many cuisines. I discovered that it can be useful as a sort of sauce when I used the water I'd drained from my purple barley to moisten a pan of vegetables. The barley water added rich flavor and texture to the already delicious vegetables.
Featured in: Recipes for Health: A Grain, a Vegetable, a Skillet: Meals for Winter Nights
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 1cup barley (regular or purple)
- 1quart water
- Salt to taste
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2pounds butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 1generous bunch collard greens (about 1 pound), stemmed, washed thoroughly in 2 changes of water and sliced crosswise in ribbons
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2teaspoons slivered fresh sage
- Lemon juice to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
248 calories; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 983 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Combine the barley and water in a medium saucepan, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 50 minutes to an hour (longer for purple barley), until the barley is tender. There should still be plenty of water in the pot. Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the barley. Measure out 1 cup of the cooking water. Transfer the barley to a serving bowl and keep warm.
Step
2
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat and sear the squash for 5 to 10 minutes, until it is lightly colored. Add the greens and cook, stirring, until they are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, pepper and sage and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes, until the mixture is fragrant, then add the stock or barley water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes, until the squash and greens are tender. Add lemon juice to taste, drizzle on the remaining olive oil, adjust seasoning and serve with the barley.
- Advance preparation: You can cook and drain the barley a day ahead. Keep the barley and the barley water separate in the refrigerator.
Ratings
4
out of 5
88
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Cooking Notes
joanhc
A good, adaptable recipe. I skipped the barley and served this with rice (which made it a lot quicker) and a sausage. Very nice way to use diced squash left over from another recipe--you don't really need 2 pounds.
Martha
A nice dish. More flavorful than I expected. I substituted sherry vinegar for the lemon
Jenn
Used brown rice instead of barley, Momof*cku savory seasoning instead of sage, and topped with poached egg. Just realized I forgot to squeeze a lemon but it was still filling and tasty. We’ll eat the leftovers for breakfast with a fried egg.
Vegan RD
Added a sliced red onion to the mix (between the squash and greens) and used a whole grain blend that cooked faster than barley. No fresh sage so used a lovely Mediterranean spice blend. Wonderful recipe, easy to improvise!
Mary (Cville)
Try this with farro, a more flavorful grain.
joanhc
A good, adaptable recipe. I skipped the barley and served this with rice (which made it a lot quicker) and a sausage. Very nice way to use diced squash left over from another recipe--you don't really need 2 pounds.
Cook in California
Pretty easy and healthy week night meal. I used sweet potato instead of squash and added kimchi and an poached on top for more protein. The lemon drizzled on top brings the meal together.
Kurt
This was very simple to make, all the work was to slice and dice the collards and squash. It came out surprisingly sweet, and the sage/lemon were pleasant accent flavors. Perfect for a weeknight if you cook the barley the day before.
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