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By Root 661 0

and they look like little jewels. Barley is an underutilized grain, perhaps because it takes about 45 minutes to cook. But winter is all about slow cooking, isn’t it?

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup pearl barley

3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth (pages 126–27)

2 carrots, peeled and finely diced

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the barley and stir for 1 minute. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the barley has absorbed most of the liquid, about 30 minutes.

2 Sprinkle the carrots over the barley but do not stir. Continue cooking until the barley has absorbed all the liquid and the grains are tender, about 15 minutes.

3 Fluff with a fork, mixing in the carrots. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper; mix gently. Serve hot.

Kasha Varnishkes

Serves 4

Immigrants from eastern Europe, like my grandparents, brought kasha to this country. Kasha means “cereal” in Russian, but in this country it generally means buckwheat groats and a cooked dish made from buckwheat groats. Although buckwheat looks and cooks like a grain, it is actually part of buckwheat’s fruiting seed. To make kasha, the seed’s husk is dried and split so that the inner kernel, called the groat, can be extracted. The groats are then roasted until they become dark; this step turns buckwheat groats into kasha. Buckwheat was indispensible to the peasants of eastern Europe because it can grow in poor soil and difficult weather. It has an earthy flavor unlike any grain.

1 cup small bowtie pasta

1 cup roasted whole buckwheat groats or medium-grind kasha

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cups boiling water or chicken broth (page 127)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bowties in the boiling water until done. Drain, rinse under lukewarm running water, and set aside.

2 Combine the buckwheat groats and egg in a bowl and mix well.

3 Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the buckwheat mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the grains are dry and separated, about 3 minutes. Scrape the mixture out of the skillet and set aside.

4 Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the oil and onion and sauté until the onion begins to color, about 5 minutes. Stir in the buckwheat mixture. Slowly add the boiling water and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook over very low heat, without stirring, until the water has been completely absorbed and the grains are tender, 15 to 25 minutes.

5 Stir in the bowties. Wipe the pot lid dry, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork, season generously with salt and pepper, and serve.

Kitchen Note: Mushrooms sautéed with the onion make a nice addition.

Carrot Spoon Bread

Serves 6–8

Spoon bread, a classic Southern side dish made with cornmeal, is more like a pudding or soufflé than a bread. It’s so soft that it can be served and eaten with a spoon. Like a soufflé, it is best served immediately after it is baked.

2 cups milk

2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded

1 shallot, finely chopped

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup lightly packed grated sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

1 pinch dried tarragon

4 eggs, separated

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish or 9- by 13-inch baking dish.

2 Combine the milk, carrots, shallot, cornmeal, butter, salt, and pepper to taste in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring, until the mixture is thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the cheese and tarragon. Let cool until just warm to the touch, about 15 minutes.