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Recipe and Newsletter Archive
1 cup barley, uncooked Wash the barley in several changes of water, until the water is no longer cloudy. Cook the barley in 2 quarts of boiling water with 2 teaspoons salt for 30 minutes. Drain it in a colander and run cold water over it. Cut the tomatoes in 1/2" dice, salt them lightly and leave them in a coarse sieve to drain for about 20 minutes. While the barley is cooking and the tomatoes draining, wash and trim the zucchini and cut it in 1/2" dice. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick sauté pan and sauté the zucchini in it, with a generous sprinkle of salt, tossing frequently. After 3 minutes, add the minced garlic and continue tossing over a high flame for another 3-4 minutes, or until the zucchini is beginning to take on golden-brown spots. Don't let it get mushy. Remove the zucchini from the heat, sprinkle it with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and leave it to cool. Husk and clean the corn, check it to be sure it is perfectly fresh and sweet, and cook it 5 minutes in boiling, salted water. Slice the kernels off the cobs with a sharp knife and rub them between your hands a bit to separate them. In a large bowl, combine the cooled barley, sautéed zucchini, corn kernels, minced red onion and the chiffonade-sliced basil leaves. Give the tomatoes a stir to be sure all the excess water has drained out, and add them to the salad. Whisk together the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, and the vinegar, and pour it over the salad. Toss everything together and taste. Add some fresh ground black pepper, and dash more salt if needed. Chill the salad for an hour or so if you want it cold, then try it again. Correct seasoning if needed, and serve. This salad works well as part of a buffet, or on its own. Put a generous mound on a bed of greens and add a sprinkle of feta cheese on top, for a wonderful hot-day lunch.
Serves 8-10
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