2753. OXTAIL and BARLEY SOUP with BACON

serves 4-6


3 tablespoons olive oil
3 slice bacon, chopped
4 lbs. oxtails, cut into 3-inch segments
2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes, with juice
4 cups beef stock
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
1 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
croutons (recommended: garlic croutons)

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add bacon and saute until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside. Increase heat to medium-high and add half the oxtails, cut ends down, to the pot; let cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 8 minutes. Turn to brown the other end, then brown the sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a warm plate. Repeat with remaining oxtails. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, celery and onion to the pot; saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Return the oxtails and any accumulated juices to the pot and add garlic, tomatoes with juice, stock, wine, salt, marjoram, five-spice powder (if using) and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until meat is falling off the bones, about 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring water to a boil over medium heat. Add barley and a pinch of salt; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove oxtails from the pot with a slotted spoon and let cool slightly, then pick the meat from the bones. Discard bones. Skim the fat from the surface of the soup with a large spoon. Return meat to the pot and add reserved bacon; reheat, if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide barley among heated bowls and top with soup. Garnish with parsley and croutons.


bacon recipe courtesy of: 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, 2008, pp. 166-167

2517. ROASTED BARLEY SALAD with BACON and VEGETABLES

yields two cups


1 3/4 cups pearl barley (3/4 pound)
5 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
5 cups water
l bay leaf
salt
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 carrot, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 tablespoon minced thyme leaves
1 zucchini, cut 1/2-inch rounds
4 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 pound button mushroom, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 bunch Italian parsley, minced (about 3/4 cup)

Put barley in a saute pan over medium heat and toast until medium brown. In a pot, bring the stock and water to a boil with the bay leaf and salt. Add toasted barley and cook until tender about20 minutes. Drain and spread out on cookie sheet to cool.

Cook bacon in nonstick skillet until crisp. Remove and add the garlic to the same skillet. When it begins to turn light brown, add the carrots and thyme. Saute for 1 minute, then add the zucchini and continue to saute for another 30 seconds. Take off the heat and add vinegar and olive oil, and season. Set aside and let cool.

Toss the barley with the sliced mushrooms, bacon, carrot mixture and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Michael Chiarello, "Brown Baggin' It," Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, Food Network

1416. PEARL BARLEY with BROWN ALE, CARAMELIZED BRUSSEL SPROUTS, SMOKED BACON and ROASTED CHESTNUTS

1¼ cups pearl barley
1½ cups brown ale
1¼ cups chicken stock or water
½lb chestnuts (directions follow)
1/3 lb smoked bacon, ¼ inch pieces
1 small onion, diced
2 cups brussel sprouts, outside leaves trimmed away and quartered
salt and pepper

In a medium size pot cover barley with 1¼ cups of beer (reserve ¼ cup) and water and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook on low until all liquid has been absorbed, approximately 15 minutes.

In a frying pan, cook bacon on medium heat until fat has rendered and bacon is crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate covered with paper towel and remove all but 1 tsp of bacon fat from the pan. Add onions and sauté on medium heat until slightly brown. Add brussel sprouts, season with salt and pepper and roast in the pan on medium low heat until sprouts are tender and slightly caramelized, approximately ten minutes. Add remaining beer and cook for three minutes then add bacon and chestnuts and toss until thoroughly mixed.

To serve, spoon barley into a serving dish and top with brussel sprout mixture.


Chestnut directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place one cookie tray inside. Using a sharp knife, score an "X" in the round end of the chestnut, making sure to go through both the shell and husk. Place chestnuts in boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove from water and immediately place on hot tray that is in the oven. Roast chestnuts for four minutes. Remove chestnuts from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Peel chestnuts and discard shell and husk. Serve with pearl barley and brussel sprout dish.


courtesy of: Ontario Craft Brewers, 1-75 Horner Avenue, Toronto Ontario M8Z 4X5, 416-494-2766 | Chef Ezra Title, Chez Vous Dining

1401. PEA, PEARL BARLEY and BACON SOUP

serves four


200 grams pearl barley
250 grams frozen peas
50 grams smoked bacon
40 grams extra virgin olive oil
one shallot
60 grams Grana Padano
20 grams butter
approx. 800 grams meat stock
chopped parsley

Wash the barley, under running water and soak it in a bowl of cold water for about 2 hours. Dice the bacon and fry it lightly for a few minutes in a pan, with just a little oil then add the sliced shallot. Stir, then add the peas and let the flavours blend for a few minutes, stirring all the time. Drain the barley, pour it into the pan; stir and add a little stock. Continue cooking for about 40 minutes, adding the stock a little at a time and stirring now and again. When it has finished cookings the barley must have the consistency of risotto. Add butter, Grana Padano and parsley, to taste. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Grana Padano: Consorzio per la tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano

1221. PAN-FRIED PARTRIDGE with BACON and a DELICATE PEARL BARLEY, PEA and LETTUCE STEW

4 ounces pearl barley
Olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces frozen peas
2 cups good chicken or vegetable stock
1 heaping tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 partridges, washed and patted dry, broken into legs and breasts
4 ounces thick bacon, cut into pieces
A few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped
A handful romaine lettuce leaves, washed and spun dry
A handful arugula, washed and spun dry

Cook the pearl barley in boiling, salted water for about 50 minutes, or until tender but still with a little bite, then drain and leave to steam dry.

Next, heat a glug of olive oil in a frying pan and add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly on a low heat for about 10 minutes, without coloring too much. Add the barley and the peas. Cover with the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.

On a board, mash the flour and butter together with a fork until you have a paste. This is called a "beurre manie" and it's a great way of thickening stews or sauces without having to stir the flour in directly, which could give you lumps. Stir half of the paste into the peas and barley and continue to simmer until the liquid begins to thicken. If, after 5 minutes, it's not thick enough, add some more of your beurre manie. What you want to achieve is a silky smooth broth. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes, adding a little extra stock if it gets too dry, while you cook your partridges.

Put some olive oil into another frying pan. Season the partridge legs with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. (The legs go in first because they're tougher than the breasts and need longer to cook.) Shake them about and, after a few minutes, when they're lightly golden, add the bacon bits and stir gently to stop them catching on the bottom. Meanwhile, lay the partridge breasts out, sprinkle over the chopped thyme and press onto both sides with a good pinch of seasoning. When the bacon is lightly golden, push it to 1 side of the pan with the partridge legs and lay the breasts in, skin side down. Cook for 4 minutes, then turn and cook on the other side for a minute to give you crispy skin and moist meat. You can cook them for longer if you like your meat well done.

When the breasts are done, taste the barley broth and adjust the seasoning, then stir in the lettuce and arugula - they only need a minute or so to cook. Serve the barley, peas and lettuce with the partridge breasts and legs on top and sprinkle with the bacon pieces. Spoon the broth juices over the top. Lovely homey cooking!


courtesy of: Jamie at Home by Jamie Oliver, Hyperion, 2008

248. HERB-BASTED CHICKEN with PEARL BARLEY, BACON, and ROOT VEGETABLE PILAF

makes 4 servings


Pilaf
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed, drained
6 ounces bacon, diced
1 shallot, minced
1 1/4 cups 1/4- to 1/3-inch cubes peeled root vegetables (such as celery root, carrot, turnip, rutabaga, and/or butternut squash)
Pinch of sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Chicken
6 tablespoons canola oil
4 large chicken breast halves with skin and bones
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary


For pilaf:
Bring 2 cups water and salt to boil in medium saucepan. Mix in barley. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain barley.

Sauté bacon in large pot over medium heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Add shallot; stir 30 seconds. Add cubed vegetables and sugar; sauté 6 minutes. Add barley, lemon juice, and herbs; stir 2 minutes. Mix in bacon; season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Cover and place in oven to rewarm while chicken roasts, adding water by tablespoonfuls to moisten if dry.)

For chicken:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken, skin side down, in skillet. Cook until skin browns, about 7 minutes. Add butter and herbs to skillet; stir to blend. Turn chicken skin side up. Place skillet in oven; roast chicken until cooked through, basting occasionally with herb butter, about 20 minutes.

Divide pilaf among 4 plates; top with chicken. Spoon pan juices over.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, January 2006

215. BAKED SMOKED BACON II

(Boczek Wedzony Wypiekany)

serves 6 to 7


1 lb. lean bacon, unsliced
2 cups split peas
1 cup pearl barley
hot bacon fat


Boil bacon until transparent in just enough water to cover, about 1/2 hour. When cool enough to handle, cut bacon in strips. Cook peas and barley separately until half done. Drain, combine, add enough of the water in which bacon has been cooking to prevent sticking, and steam, tightly covered, in the oven until done, taking care not to cook to a mush. Arrange the barley and peas on a platter, top with hot bacon fat, and arrange the slices of bacon around the edge.


courtesy of: Polish Cookery: The Universal Cook Book, by Marja Ochorowicz-Monatowa. New York: Crown Publishers, 1958. p. 154.