Recipe: Barley With Shiitake Mushrooms and Sage

Serves 4.

Notes: The chewy pops of mushroom make this dish. If you can't find fresh shiitakes, substitute cremini, oyster or white button mushrooms. For a gluten-free variation, substitute any GF grain for the barley (brown rice or quinoa would work well), and use tamari instead of soy sauce. You can cook the barley in a rice cooker using a 2-1 ratio of water to grains, and set the cooker on its "brown rice" setting. Drain any remaining water at the end of cooking.

• 1 1/2 c. pearled or quick-cooking barley

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped finely

• 5 medium sage leaves, finely chopped (about 1 tbsp.)

• 3 1/2 oz. (about a dozen medium-size) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced 1/8-in. thick

• 1 1/2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add the barley and cook until cooked through and chewy, 15 to 30 minutes depending on the variety. When done, drain the barley into a colander in the sink and set aside.

While the barley is cooking, heat the olive oil and garlic in a medium or large (10- or 12-inch) stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When bubbles begin to form around the edges of the garlic (after about 1 minute), add the sage and mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms have begun to brown around the edges and golden-brown bits have begun to stick to the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat under the skillet and add the soy sauce and lemon juice. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, stirring them into the mushrooms and sage.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories340Fat8 gSodium230 mg

Carbohydrates61 gSaturated fat1 gCalcium29 mg

Protein8 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber12 g