Warm Mediterranean Salad
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
With the smoky flavor of the grilled vegetables, the nutty barley, and the tangy goat cheese, this salad is guaranteed to make you happy.
Recipe type: Lovely Lunch Salads
Serves: 8 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup hulled barley
- 2 cups water
- 12 asparagus stalks
- 1 whole red bell pepper
- 2 cups water
- 8 canned or jarred artichoke hearts, halved
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- [1/4] cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 TB. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 TB. balsamic vinegar
- [1/2] tsp. salt
- [1/2] tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 4 oz. goat cheese
- [1/2] cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, soak hulled barley in warm water to cover for 4 hours. Drain.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring barley and 2 cups water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 40 minutes or until water is absorbed and barley is tender. Let cool.
- Preheat a grill top or grill to medium.
- Grill asparagus on all sides for about 5 minutes. Chop asparagus into 2-inch pieces, and place in a large bowl.
- Grill red bell pepper on all sides for about 20 minutes or until charred. Immediately place pepper onto a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Peel skin off red pepper (it's okay if it doesn't all come off), and remove the stem, ribs, and seeds. Slice pepper into [1/4]-inch strips, and add to the large bowl.
- Add barley to asparagus and red bell pepper. Add artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, parsley, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper, and toss to combine.
- Cut goat cheese into 4 equal pieces, and coat all sides of cheese with panko breadcrumbs.
- Preheat a small skillet over low heat, and add remaining 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add panko-coated goat cheese slices, and brown on both sides for about 2 minutes per side.
- To serve, place [1/4] of salad mixture on a plate, top with 1 goat cheese slice, and serve immediately.
Notes
To save a bit of time as you make this salad, you can prep the barley ahead of time and store it in a container in the refrigerator. Then, when you're ready to make this salad, you can just toss it in.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 2 cups Calories: 573 Fat: 25g Saturated fat: 8g Carbohydrates: 74g Sodium: 952mg Fiber: 21g Protein: 23g Cholesterol: 23mg