At a recent good-friends dinner party, our host Monica Gray served a magnificent ragout of lamb (somehow I can't bring myself to say "stew" when it comes to something that's as delicious as her braised lamb) on a bed of barley. There was an audible excitement around the table, part surprised talk, part the smacking of lips. How novel. Not rice, not potatoes, not polenta, not noodles, not even couscous, bulgar or baguette - something altogether more interesting and delish. Barley.

From bottom left, hulled pot barley, top is pearled barley with outer bran polished off and right bottom, stone ground barley flour

Reputed to be the world's longest cultivated grain, barley was the grain of choice for thousands of years. Alas, the grain fell out of favour a few hundreds of years ago in much of the richer more fertile and populated parts of the world - in China, rice became the number # grain.  In Europe, rye and the ascent of wheat linked to a preference for lighter whiter breads rather than heavier darker barley bread pushed barley to the geographic perifery of the continent - to Scotland and Wales, for example, where barley grew more reliably than other grains. There barley has lived on in soups, flat breads, breakfast cereal - and in the production of beer and scotch. Most of Canada's barley goes to livestock feed. For most Canadians, and I'm not counting the barley that goes into beer, barley is simply not everyday.

But back to dinner, if barley is darn good, why is it neglected? Does it need a little promo? I'm willing to bet good money that all five of the couples at Monica Gray's table went out and bought a bag of the grain. Barley has such good bones. It's healthy - high in soluble and non soluble fibre, tasty in a toasty granary way, like rice goes with just about everything the refrigerator can throw at it, not expensive and what pushes it over the top- it has texture. Firm, but not al dente in the Italian risotto  way, with a lovely little bounce, yet tender. Some say agreeably squishy.

Could it be that cooks think barley takes too long to cook? Anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes. Yes, it takes longer than a microwave snack, couscous or instant mac and cheese. But, not really a long time to simmer- about the time of parboiled rice, a tad longer than new potatoes. Is it hard to find? Well, maybe - bags of barley - there are two kinds usually available and virtually interchangeable when it comes to the dish - pot barley with only the hull removed is a little longer to cook, and pearl with the outer bran polished off so the kernels appear 'pearled" occupy a tiny bit of a shelf beside the dried beans, lentils and chick peas. You need to be a scratch cook to know where to find barley in the supermarket. But bulk stores and health food stores are a reliable source of barley, and in some, you can even find barley flour - an interesting addition to breakfast pancakes.

Enough talk. Do try barley  in soup as the Scots do, make it into a risotto or pilaf with Mediterranean accents. Replace some of the hard or all-purpose wheat flour in pancakes, muffins, scones and up to 25% of the volume in yeast-raised bread with barley flour.  And certainly make barley the basis of summer salads.  In salads, barley is way better than pasta - doesn't drink up all the dressing and  go flacid and bloated after a few hours, is an improvement on rice simply by staying moist and tender, and best, will impress your friends and family with your discovery of a brand new albeit antique grain that could use a little recognition. 

Barley Salad with Red Onion and Feta

Ideal for a summer lunch, perhaps on a weekend menu, try to leave extras to pack for lunches during the week. The peas in the photo are shelled - ready-for-the-pot peas increasingly available in produce sections of chain stores, and in specialty stores.

2/3 cup (150 mL) pearl or pot barley

2 cups (500 mL) water (approx) 

3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt

1 cup (250 mL) cooked fresh peas, or thawed frozen peas

3/4 cup (175 mL) diced sweet red pepper

1/2 cup (125 mL) diced red onion or sliced green onions

2/3 cup (150 mL) crumbled feta cheese (3 oz/100 g)

2 tbsp (30 mL) shredded fresh spearmint leaves or basil

3 tbsp (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp (15 mL) white wine vinegar or cider vinegar

1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground pepper

12 inner leaves of Romaine or softer Boston Lettuce

. In a medium saucepan, bring barley, water and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) of the salt to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until barley is tender, and water mostly absorbed, about 25 minutes. Check near end of cooking time to see if barley needs a little extra water. Drain if necessary and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with a fork and set aside to cool.

. Add peas, red pepper, red onion, feta, mint, oil, vinegar, pepper and remaining salt. Toss gently to combine. Let stand for a few minutes for flavours to blend. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Taste and reseason if necessary.)

. Arrange lettuce in shallow pasta bowls. Spoon salad into cupped portion of lettuce. 

. Makes 4 servings.

Tip: There are many possibilities for the cheese - shredded old Gouda, ricotta salata or extra old Cheddar or cubed Asiago. Feel free to chop in some cherry tomatoes too if you are eating the salad within an hour of its completion. 

Barley Buttermilk Pancakes with Honey Butter

Barley flour, available in bulk, health and some supermarkets add a nutty flavour to weekend pancakes. I like to dress up a stack of pancakes with sliced strawberries or peaches or a generous scoop of  blueberries or raspberries - in addition to the Honey Butter.

1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (125 mL) barley flour

1 tsp (5 mL) each baking powder and baking soda

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

2 large eggs

1 tbsp (15 mL) creamed or liquid honey

2 cups (500 mL) buttermilk

2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil

Honey Butter:

3 tbsp (45 mL) soft butter

1 tbsp (15 mL) creamed or liquid honey 

Pinch cinnamon

. In large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and barley flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

. In separate bowl, whisk 1 of the eggs with honey until smooth. Whisk in remaining egg, buttermilk and oil. Pour over the dry ingredients, whisking or stirring just until batter is smooth. 

. Heat skillet or griddle over medium heat; brush with canola oil. Using a 1/4 cup (50 mL) dry measuring cup, pour batter into the skillet. When bubbles rise up in the batter, burst but do not fill in, after about 2 minutes, turn over and cook the other side of the pancakes until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter and oil as needed. 

Ready to turn

. Honey Butter: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl with a fork, mash together the butter, honey and cinnamon. Spoon over hot pancakes.

. Makes 12 pancake, 4 servings.

Bob's Red Mill brand has a wide selection of grains and baking products, now distributed in some supermarkets as well as specialty stores.

Mushroom Barley Pilaf

A number of chefs know and use barley - they're always pushing the envelope when it comes to a tasty blend of novelty and good food. Example?  The exuberant handlebar-mustachioed Massimo Capra of Mistura, the Food Network and cookery book introduced me to barley risotto a number of years ago. For restaurant service his trick was to precook the kernels to plump but still firm stage. Then when the order came in for barley risotto, he's start a little saute of oil and aromatics, add the barley and heat it to steaming and tenderness with a little stock and send it to the table with a flurry of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Then, a few years back when Monica Gray and I went mushroom hunting with naturalist extraordinaire Bob Bowles at Severn Lodge near Georgian Bay, the Lodge's chef Hubert Obermeier served what is essentially a pilaf - no continuous stirring as with risotto - with grilled tuna. Here's my version of Obermeier's delicious barley dish you can serve with your choice of grilled or roasted fish, chicken, lamb or pork chops, beef or duck. 

1/4 cup (50 mL) butter 

1 onion,or 2 shallots, diced

1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup (250 mL) pearl or pot barley

2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock or vegetables stock

4 cups (1 L) chopped mushrooms, about 12 oz (375 g)

1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice (approx)

2 tbsp (30 mL) minced fresh parsley

. In medium saucepan with heavy bottom, melt half of the butter over medium heat. Add onion, salt and pepper; cook, sirring until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. 

. Stir in barley; cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add stock and 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) water; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer just until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 30 to 40 minutes.  Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes.

. Meanwhile in a large skillet, melt remaining butter over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and saute, stirring occasionally, until no liquid remains and mushrooms have started to colour golden brown, about 8 minutes.

. Scrape mushrooms and any pan liquid over the barley; sprinkle with lemon juice. With fork, toss gently; taste and add more lemon juice is you like. Sprinkle with parsley.

. Makes 4 generous servings.

Tip: Shiitaki caps have the most flavour of all supremarket-available fresh mushrooms.  

And why not? A little over a week ago I sat down to a wedding dinner at Langdon Hall Country Inn, on a hillside overlooking the Grand River in Cambridge, Ontario. Chilled bowls arrived, cupping the most beautiful green pea soup, slashed across the top with a bold stroke of creme fraiche and a trail of what turned out to be prosciutto crumble. 

"This chef", I thought to myself, "loves vegetables. He lets them speak for themselves'. The soup was icy cold as behooves a warm evening and at the first spoonful there was silence at our table. Even the bride and groom focused their bliss on the perfect essence of peas - delicate but summery, a touch sweet yet refreshing. Nothing spoiled its simplicity.

Executive Chef Jonathan Gushue proved his admiration for vegetables as the meal progressed, and graciously agreed to share his simple but splendid summer soup. I have served it twice in the last week, to surprise that it's so good... and surprise that it's made out of peas! As for getting the right peas for the soup, if, unlike Langdon Hall which has gardens that provide fresh peas to the kitchen, a good produce store, roadside stand or farmers' market is the best bet for buying fresh peas in their pods. Lacking all of the above, choose frozen peas - one of the few vegetables that freezes well. Avoid the multi-sized peas and zero in on the packets of small peas. They retain the lovely sweetness of summer and are worth the extra pennies.

You can make your own bold design on the top of the soup with a plastic squeeze bottle filled with creme fraiche or sour cream.

Chilled Sweet Pea Soup

Serve in wide bowls, white if possible,  so the creme fraiche and crumble make a dramatic statement. You don't need a lot of soup - a half to three-quarters cup  (125 to 175 mL), depending on your bowls,  is plenty to start a summer party dinner. 

1 tbsp (15  mL) butter

3 shallots, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

4 cups (1 L) water or vegetable broth

4 cups (1 L) shelled peas

1/2 tsp (2 mL) vegetable oil

3 thin slices prosciutto 

2 tbsp. (30 mL) fine dry but fresh breadcrumbs

1/3 cup (75 mL) creme fraiche or 30% sour cream

. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and garlic; fry gently, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. 

. Add the water; cover and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the peas; cover and bring back to the boil. Boil for about 4 minutes or until peas are tender. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.

. Puree with an immersion blender, or in batches in a stand blender or with a food mill. Set a sieve over a large bowl; set the bowl in the bottom of the sink. Being careful not to burn yourself, pour the pureed soup into the sieve. Press the soup through the sieve, working the mash well to get as much of the tender peas through the sieve as possible. This gives the soup its texture. 

. Chill soup; cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Taste, adding salt if desired, keeping in mind the prosciutto crumble scattered over the top of the soup.

. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet. Over medium heat, saute the prosciutto until crisp. Let cool; pat off any fat. Chop coarsely and whiz in a clean coffee grinder or small food processor until the prosciutto is in very fine almost whispy pieces; set aside. (Note that you can chop this finely, but it won't be quite as delicate as Chef Gushue's.

. In a small dry skillet, toast the breadcrumbs until golden; combine with the prosciutto. (Make-ahead; cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.)

. To serve, check the soup for thickness and saltiness. If you used vegetables broth the soup will not need any salt, but made with water, it will. Also check for thickness; whisk in cold vegetable broth or even milk, if a thinner soup is preferred.

. Ladle the soup into chilled bowls. Swirl with a generous stroke of creme fraiche and a line of prosciutto crumb crumble. Serve any remaining crumble to add to the soup.

. Makes 6 servings. 

Tip: Use a small plastic squeeze bottle with a wide opening tip for stroking the soup with creme fraiche.

Fresh Pea Mash - aka Fresh Pea Crostini

This slightly rough puree atop homemade toasts or melba toasts evolved out of an idea volunteer historic cook Vi Cardella suggested for an appetizer menu served at an Ontario Wine Society event at Campbell House Museum in Toronto. Suits vegetarians, is not expenseve, and in cooking world where so many cooked dishes are brown, these emerald green crostini stand out - for looks and for taste. One-bite size is recommended.

Spoon the seasoned mashed peas on toasted baguette, garnish and pass around. Or, spoon the mash into a bowl, topped here with sour cream or creme fraiche and sprinkle with snipped chives. Guests can dig down and scoop up enough to mound on crackers or melba toast. For the picture I sliced a whole wheat baguette and with a cookie cutter, cut out rounds which I crisped in the oven. A little rustic looking, but tasty.

2 tbsp (30 mL) butter

1 shallot, peeled and minced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3 cups (750 mL) fresh peas, or frozen small peas

2 tbsp (30 mL) water, vegetable or chicken broth (for non vegetarians),  (approx)

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

1/3 cup (75 mL) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (real Parmesan cheese)

1 tbsp (15 mL) sour cream and mayonnaise

20 slices ficelle or thin baguette, whole wheat if available 

Garnish:

1/2 cup (125 mL) sour cream

Fresh chives, and chive blossoms, if available

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and garlic; mix well. Cover and sweat* the vegetables to soften them, and encourage them to share their suble flavours with the peas.

. Stir in the peas and water. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until peas are tender and broth has evaporated, about 5 minutes.For fresh peas you may need to add more broth to keep the peas moist.

. Add the cheese, stirring to encourage it to melt in with the peas. Let cool slightly; puree in food processor until still slightly chunky. Whirl in the sour cream and mayonnaise. (Make-ahead: Transfer to airtight container and let cool in refrigerator. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 1 day). 

. Meanwhile, toast the slices of ficelle just until golden; let cool. Spoon pea mixture onto toasted slices, Top with a dollop of sour cream and a dusting of snipped fresh chives, and possibly some separated chive blossoms.  

. Makes 20 pieces.

* Sweat: to cook over low heat in oil or butter to draw out juices and flavours of a food, usually vegetables, without browning. A cover is usual when sweating vegetables for a soup, stew or mixture like this mash of peas.

Pea Mash Crostini with Mascarpone

Instead of layering the pea mash, sour cream and chives onto a toasted slice of ficelle, spread the toasted slice with mascarpone or cream cheese (about 2/3 cup (175 mL), add the pea mash and garnish with  chive flowers, snipped chives or thinly slice green onion, the white part for contrast. If you fancy a red and green colour scheme, finely dice enough red onion to make 1/2 cup (125 ml). Soak in cold water for 15 minutes; drain and pat dry. use to garnish the pea mash. 

What You Need to Know about Fresh Peas in their Pods

. Choose crisp bright green pea pods that are well filled with medium-size peas. Avoid a combo of bulging pea pods and thin hardly filled pods. The peas will be of different sizes and will not cook evenly.

. Plan to cook fresh peas the day you buy them - the longer they are from harvest the more of their sugar has turned to starch. If life deals you a delay in enjoying the peas, wrap the pods in a clean kitchen towel, enclose them in  plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 2 day. Won't be quite the same, but better than no fresh peas at all.

 . Cook peas, covered, in 2 inches (5 cm) boiling water until  tender, about 2 to 5 minutes. Or steam for about 8 minutes.

 . 1 lb (450 g) whole peas in their shells yields about 1-1/3 cup (325 mL) shelled peas.  

Shelling peas is fun to do at the end of a warm afternoon, on the back porch, and with kids who will eat almost as many peas as they shell and drop into the pot.