Barley makes a satisfying and easy side dish worthy of any winter table, especially when seasoned with sage and studded with intensely flavorful shiitake mushrooms. A serious upgrade from the usual pot of steamed rice, it might just steal the spotlight from your main dish.
This dish comes together just as quickly as a pot of regular rice or quinoa. You just need to sauté the mushrooms while the barley does its thing on the back burner, and your side dish is ready.
The grains are boiled rather than steamed. Cooking the barley in a generous amount of water, pasta-style, means you won't risk them sticking to the bottom of the pan, or not cooking all the way through.
There's no need to salt the cooking water, since the soy sauce from the mushrooms will season the grains thoroughly when you toss everything together.
Fresh shiitake mushrooms are pleasantly savory, with a soft chewiness and great affinity for garlic and sage. As the mushrooms brown, you'll end up with lots of fond — aka tasty, toasty bits — sticking to the skillet. Not to worry — a splash of soy sauce and a squeeze of lemon juice go in at the very end, deglazing the pan. The barley grains are coated thoroughly, and not a speck of flavor is left behind in the pan.
Serve the barley alongside roast chicken and vegetables, or as the base of a grain bowl topped with tofu and greens. Omnivores and vegetarians alike will enjoy this versatile side.
