Herby Grain Salad with Butter-Basted Mushrooms
This vegetarian dish, originally found on Bon Appetit, can be cooked up in several ways, so dinner is a new experience every time. Use a different grain as the basis, and vary the herbs and the cheese. The deeply buttery mushrooms taste nutty and rich, which combine with the other ingredients to make a delicious meal.
More vegetarian or vegan options: White Bean Shakshouka, Fall-Apart Caramelized Cabbage, Summer Squash or Zucchini Galette, Asparagus Galette, Squash with Nutmeg, Spinach and Cheese, Curry Marinated Summer Squash, Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust, Herby Grain Salad with Butter-Basted Mushrooms, Crispy Chickpeas with Lemon/Garlic Yogurt, Roasted Chickpea and Vegetable Salad, Roasted Mushrooms with Braised Lentils, Warm Lentils and Potato Salad, Walnut or Almond Pesto Pasta, Pasta with Hazelnut Pesto and Parmesan, Paneer with Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce. Back to Main Dishes.
Serves 4
Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2cups pearl barley, farro, buckwheat, bulgar, hulled or hull-less barley, wild or brown rice
Kosher salt
2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons or more olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms of your choice
Freshly ground black pepper
2 sprigs or 1 teaspoon thyme
1 -2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan, shaved, plus more for serving
Method
Cook the grain or rice in salted, boiling water or in broth according to the instructions, until done. Either cook until the water is absorbed or drain.
Leave the grain to cool or spread out on a baking sheet to cool faster.
Meanwhile, cook the chopped shallots in the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally to keep the shallots from burning. Cook until golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to paper towels to drain; season with salt. Let cool. Set the shallot cooking oil aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Arrange the mushrooms in the skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until the undersides are golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, toss, and continue to cook, tossing often and reducing heat as needed to avoid scorching, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes longer.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the dried thyme or thyme sprigs, garlic, and butter to the skillet. Tip the skillet toward you so butter pools at edge. Use a spoon to baste mushrooms with the foaming butter; cook until the butter smells nutty. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms to a small bowl, leaving thyme and garlic behind.
Toss the cooled grain, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, 1½ oz. Parmesan, and 2 Tbsp. reserved shallot oil in a large bowl to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the mushrooms; toss again to combine.
Just before serving, top with the salad with fried shallots and more shaved Parmesan. Serve at room temperature.
Note: Barley, farro, buckwheat, bulgar or rice can be cooked 1 day ahead. Let cool; store airtight and chill. The dish can be made 3 hours ahead; store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
This vegetarian dish, originally found on Bon Appetit, can be cooked up in several ways, so dinner is a new experience every time. Use a different grain as the basis, and vary the herbs and the cheese. The deeply buttery mushrooms taste nutty and rich, which combine with the other ingredients to make a delicious meal.
More vegetarian or vegan options: White Bean Shakshouka, Fall-Apart Caramelized Cabbage, Summer Squash or Zucchini Galette, Asparagus Galette, Squash with Nutmeg, Spinach and Cheese, Curry Marinated Summer Squash, Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust, Herby Grain Salad with Butter-Basted Mushrooms, Crispy Chickpeas with Lemon/Garlic Yogurt, Roasted Chickpea and Vegetable Salad, Roasted Mushrooms with Braised Lentils, Warm Lentils and Potato Salad, Walnut or Almond Pesto Pasta, Pasta with Hazelnut Pesto and Parmesan, Paneer with Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce. Back to Main Dishes.
Serves 4
Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2cups pearl barley, farro, buckwheat, bulgar, hulled or hull-less barley, wild or brown rice
Kosher salt
2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons or more olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms of your choice
Freshly ground black pepper
2 sprigs or 1 teaspoon thyme
1 -2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan, shaved, plus more for serving
Method
Cook the grain or rice in salted, boiling water or in broth according to the instructions, until done. Either cook until the water is absorbed or drain.
Leave the grain to cool or spread out on a baking sheet to cool faster.
Meanwhile, cook the chopped shallots in the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally to keep the shallots from burning. Cook until golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to paper towels to drain; season with salt. Let cool. Set the shallot cooking oil aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Arrange the mushrooms in the skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until the undersides are golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, toss, and continue to cook, tossing often and reducing heat as needed to avoid scorching, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes longer.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the dried thyme or thyme sprigs, garlic, and butter to the skillet. Tip the skillet toward you so butter pools at edge. Use a spoon to baste mushrooms with the foaming butter; cook until the butter smells nutty. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms to a small bowl, leaving thyme and garlic behind.
Toss the cooled grain, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, 1½ oz. Parmesan, and 2 Tbsp. reserved shallot oil in a large bowl to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the mushrooms; toss again to combine.
Just before serving, top with the salad with fried shallots and more shaved Parmesan. Serve at room temperature.
Note: Barley, farro, buckwheat, bulgar or rice can be cooked 1 day ahead. Let cool; store airtight and chill. The dish can be made 3 hours ahead; store tightly wrapped at room temperature.