This fresh salad is a lovely way to enjoy the chewy bite of our organic Purple Barley. We love the added sunflower seeds for protein and even more crunch without being too heavy, and the watermelon radishes are just stunning. If you can't find watermelon radish, try slices of fresh radishes.
Purple Barley Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
~ serves 6-8 as a side
1 cup dry Flourist Purple Barley
1 shallot, minced
1 large watermelon radish, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/2 -1 cup Parmesan shavings
Salt and pepper to taste
Maple Vinaigrette
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1.5 tsp salt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
First, cook the Purple Barley by adding it to a large pot and covering with 5-6 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to maintain and gentle boil with the lid on. Cook for 60 minutes or until the grains are cooked through. When ready, drain and set aside to cool.
Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until incorporated and transfer to a clean jar. Alternatively, you can combine the ingredients in a jar and emulsify with a hand blender if you prefer. set the dressing aside.
To toast the sunflower seeds, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the seeds evenly on a flat rimmed baking sheet and place in the heated oven. Toat the seeds for 8-10 minutes, until they are turning in colour and fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from the oven when ready and allow to cool in a bowl.
Prepare the watermelon radish (or radishes if using), parsley, mint, and shallots. Add to a large bowl and add the barley once it has reached room temperature. Add dressing to taste, starting with 1/2 to a 2/3 cup. Stir well. Add the toasted seeds and stir again. Create the parmesan shavings by using a vegetable peeler to shave a wedge of parmesan. Toss 3/4 of the parmesan shavings into the salad and taste to adjust the seasonings.
Serve straight away with reserved parmesan and herbs as a garnish. It is a good idea to bring any extra dressing to the table for guests to add more as desired. This recipe is best served freshly made. Serves 6-8 as a side.
