Try this recipe for Mediterranean barley salad for dinner tonight

If you’re looking for a flavor-packed salad for Meatless Monday, skip the lettuce tonight and try this Mediterranean barley salad. Freshly cooked pearl barley is tossed with a bright dressing of lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sherry vinegar, shallot and olive oil, along with fresh oregano. Refrigerate the salad for at least a couple of hours to give the flavors time to marry (it’s a perfect dish when you want something you can mostly make ahead of time), then stir in kalamata olives, capers, toasted pine nuts and chopped green onion before serving.

MEDITERRANEAN BARLEY SALAD

Total time: 1 hour and 10 minutes plus chilling time for the salad | Serves 6 to 8

Note: Adapted from “The Hip Chick’s Guide to Macrobiotics” by Jessica Porter. Umeboshi (plum) vinegar can be found at Asian markets.

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Pinch plus 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, divided

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar plus 1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar)

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1/4 cup olive oil

5 cups water

2 cups pearl or hulled barley

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried and crumbled)

1/3 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives

1/3 cup drained capers

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

1. To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, pinch sea salt, vinegar, shallot and olive oil in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. To prepare the salad, bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the barley with the remaining salt and bay leaves. Simmer until the barley is tender and all of the water is absorbed, 45 minutes to 1 hour total cooking time. Remove from heat and cool.

3. Place the barley in a large bowl, and stir in the dressing and oregano. Cover and chill for about 2 hours or until ready to serve. Before serving, gently stir in the olives, capers, pine nuts and green onions.

Each of 8 servings: 311 calories; 6 grams protein; 42 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams fiber; 14 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 561 mg. sodium.

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