Barley, my sidekick!

Barley is one of my favorite grain! I just love it so much. It is so versatile and delicious! This is a really quick and easy recipe to whip up. And again, you can play with this recipe by adding your favorite spices!

You will be needing:

• 1 cup barley
• 1 cup parsnips, diced
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup Pernod
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• salt and pepper to taste

Start by cooking the barley in a salted boiling water. I use 3 part water, and 1 part barley. Once the barley is al-dente, strain and reserve.


On medium-high heat,put the oil in a shallow skillet. Add the onion and cook for a minute. Then add the parsnips, carrots and garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until caramelized. De-glaze with the Pernod and add the stock. If you don't have Pernod, you can use white wine. If you don't have white wine, you can just use the chicken stock. And if you don't have chicken stock, just use water!  Add the herbs, and let the whole thing simmer until there is only a little bit of liquid left in the bottom of the skillet. Feel free to substitute the herbs with your favorite herbs!

ENJOY!!!