Barley Vegetable Casserole Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 1 1/2-quart baking dish.
• Put the bacon in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Add the butter to the same skillet with the bacon fat and cook, stirring, until melted. Add the garlic and onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the barley and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a couple turns of pepper. Stir in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid begins to thicken slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the bacon and 3/4 cup of the Cheddar. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake until the casserole is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and stir. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar and bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Steps:

• For the risotto:
• Bring vegetable broth to a simmer. In a separate large saucepan on an adjacent burner, heat the oil and saute onion until it is translucent. Add barley (or rice) and lightly saute to toast the barley. Add wine and stir for about 2 minutes until it is absorbed. Begin slowly adding broth, 1 ladle-full at a time, to the barley pan, stirring as you go. The friction of the stirring will bring out the starch in the barley. As the mixture absorbs the broth, ladle more into the pot. When all of the broth has been ladled into the barley pot, slowly simmer until barley is soft and creamy. Stir in ricotta to add creaminess, then crumble in goat cheese (to add cohesiveness), stir, cover and set aside.
• For the pesto:
• Place basil in food processor, add pine nuts and garlic, and pulse until chopped. Scrape into a bowl, add Parmesan and stir in oil to form a thick smooth paste. Add black pepper, to taste.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread half of the barley (or rice) mixture over the bottom of a lasagna dish or large casserole. Top with half of the sun-dried tomatoes and then with half of the basil pesto. Repeat for a second layer. Bake covered with foil for 25 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake for 5 minutes to let top layer of pesto become toasted. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve garnished with fresh basil sprigs.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a 1 1/2-quart Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium heat and cook onion until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add celery and cook until starting to soften, stirring often, about 5 more minutes. Mix barley into the vegetables and stir until coated with butter. Fold mushrooms and green pepper into barley mixture; season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour chicken broth into barley mixture and bring to a boil; cover casserole dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until barley is nearly tender, about 30 minutes; uncover casserole dish and bake barley until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 more minutes. Adjust salt and black pepper before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large nonstick skillet, saute peppers, mushrooms and onions in butter 8-10 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Stir in broth, barley and pepper. , Cover and bake 50 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Heat oil in very large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add onion, garlic, corn and Swiss chard; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and Swiss chard is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes, barley, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper; heat through.
• Coat a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon barley mixture into prepared dish in an even layer; sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake until cheese melts and mixture is hot, about 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing into six pieces.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 1-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray.
• 2. Place barley and 2 tablespoons broth in nonstick skillet; cook and stir over medium heat 3 minutes or until lightly browned. transfer to prepared casserole.
• 3. Add Vegetables, garlic powder, pepper and remaining 1 cup broth to casserole; mix well.
• 4. Cover and bake 50 minutes or until barley is tender and most of liquid is absorbed, stirring several times during baking. Stir in margarine and salt, if desired. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• In a large ovenproof skillet, saute the celery, carrots, onions and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the barley, salt and pepper. Stir in 2-1/2 cups broth. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes., Stir in parsley and remaining broth; sprinkle with almonds. Bake, uncovered, 30-40 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed and barley is tender.

Steps:

• Slice the mushroom caps and chop the stems. Heat the butter in a skillet and add the chopped onion. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes and add the mushrooms. Cook another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the barley and brown it lightly, mixing it well with the onions and mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and pepper and pour into a buttered casserole. Add enough boiling broth to cover the mixture and come 1/2" above it. Cover the casserole tightly and bake in a 350°F. oven for 25 minutes. Taste the barley for doneness. Add more broth, if necessary, and continue cooking until the liquid is absorbed and the barley tender. Serve as an accompaniment to duck, game, goose, squab and other kinds of poultry - wherever you would use wild rice.
• Variations
• Add finely slivered buttered almonds to the barley just before serving.
• Cook chicken gizzards in a well-seasoned broth and use the broth to cook the barley. Add the thinly sliced gizzards at the last minute.
• Add sautéd chicken livers and some chopped fresh parsley to the barley casserole just before serving.
• Substitute 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions for the onion and add 1/4 cup finely chopped celery and 3/4 cup thinly sliced water chestnuts. Season the broth with a few dashes of soy sauce. Serve this oriental version of barley casserole topped with a sprinkling of chopped parsley.