Toasted Barley Salad with Tomato, Zucchini, & Caramelized Corn

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With autumn just around the corner, I've been frantically using up the glorious summer bounty our garden has so graciously shared this season. The kitchen counter is practically overflowing with squash, green beans, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, bell peppers, basil, raspberries, and other such lovelies.

The bounty of summer is hard to under-appreciate. Nothing compares to biting into a freshly picked, deep red, juicy tomato. Really, nothing quite does. Likewise, an ear of grilled corn slathered with butter and sprinkled with a bit of salt epitomizes summer. All of this and the long, lazy summer evenings on the back porch surrounded by great company are the things I will miss most. 

This end-of-summer salad was inspired by that abundant harvest of fresh produce consuming the kitchen counter. It's kind of like summer on a plate - fresh and bright. I hope you'll enjoy it as we begin our farewells to this wonderful, generous season.

Notes: This kind of salad is the perfect dish for a picnic or a long, lazy summer lunch because it gets better as it sits and marinates in the dressing. Serve it with grilled meats or fish as a side dish, or with plenty of lightly cooked vegetables as a vegetarian main course. The salad is also very open to  adaptations based on what the garden is producing. Feel free to even add some toasted nuts for a bit more crunch.

Adapted from here

Barley & Millet Risotto

Arborio rice is an Italian short-grain rice that is traditionally used to make risotto. When cooked, the grains become creamy and chewy - perfect for a comforting dish like risotto. Here, instead of using the traditional arborio rice, I used barley, which still creates that creamy, chewy texture, but is a bit more wholesome. The addition of a little millet to this risotto is also nice - for added nutrition, texture, and flavor. This risotto makes for a lovely lunch or a nice side dish for dinner.

Risotto can be adapted a million different ways. The version I have pictured includes some quartered cherry tomatoes, toasted almonds, a bit of fresh oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil. You can use this risotto recipe as a springboard for all kinds of flavor combinations. I have included a few of my own ideas in the recipe below, but definitely experiment. And if you do, let me know what you like!

Notes: If you'd like to make this a full meal that is a little more substantial, you might try some grilled chicken or a fried egg on top. If you are lucky enough to find it, farro is a great and delicious substitution to the barley, but both work equally well.

Adapted from 101 cookbooks


This post linked to The Nourishing Gourmet