Fresh and Simple

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The ins and outs of simple, hearty salads

Prepare the hearty salad base

Barley and lentils are an excellent hearty salad base to which you can add any number of
delicious toppings.

How to cook barley

Barley is totally underrated, but it's got a delicious nutty flavour, is incredibly budget
friendly, super adaptable, and very healthy and nutritious. There are two main types: hulled
and pearl. Pearl is more processed, and even 'polished' to remove the hard outer layer,
whereas hulled barley is slightly tougher, nuttier, chewier and healthier.

Like with a lot of grains, it's best to give barley a rinse before use to wash away any bitter
powder or dust.Also, as with rice, quinoa and lentils, start off with cool salted water as this
allows for more even cooking. Placing them in boiling water straight away means that the
outside of the grain cooks faster than the inside and can result in them being over-softened
and mushy.

Pearled barley cooks for anywhere between 25 and 30 minutes so keep an eye on it. You’ll
know it’s ready when it becomes a little fluffy around the edges of the grain, but is still
slightly al dente or firm to the bite. Hulled barley can take up to 15 minutes longer to cook
than pearl barley.

A few notes on cooking lentils

Lentils are legumes, and have been around for thousands of years. They range in colour

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from yellow or tan all the way through to green, red and black. They're made up of about
30% protein, which makes them a brilliant low glycaemic option.

Cooking times vary from anywhere between 10 and 40 minutes, depending on their size
and whether or not the husks have been removed. With their husks on, lentils hold their
shape better, while the quicker-cooking husks off option can often reduce them to a soft
mush after prolonged cooking. How long you cook your lentils for past the al dente stage is
up to you, and often depends on the kind of dish that you’re making.

Besides using them as a salad base with lots of fresh herbs and a good dressing, you can
throw a handful of lentils into soups to add extra bulk. Another favourite option is to make a
simple Indian-style dahl, which is a fragrant lentil curry. A spiced lentil stew with Moroccan
flavours and roasted vegetables is also delicious.

Dressings for simple, hearty salads

Unlike leafy salads which should be dressed just before serving to prevent wilting, robust
hearty salads like lentil, chickpea or barley salads benefit from being dressed in advance
(while they’re still warm) for maximum flavour absorption.

How to make a vinaigrette

A great vinaigrette is all about the perfect balance of sweet and sour. And 'perfect' can be
completely subjective, depending on your personal taste. As a rule of thumb for a basic
vinaigrette, start by mixing 1 part acid (lemon juice, balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar)
with 3 parts olive oil. You’ll then need to season it with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
If your olive oil is very strong in flavour, you can dilute it with sunflower oil. It’s also delicious
to add in a little dijon mustard or chopped chilli for something a bit special.

If your dressing tastes too acidic, add a pinch of sugar or a drizzle of honey to cut through
the sharpness. Depending on what you’re making the dressing for, adding in a dollop of
fresh pesto is also a nice touch.

A vinaigrette dressing is best made in an old jam jar with a tight fitting lid, so that any extra
can be stored in the fridge for up to 10 days. If your vinaigrette separates when stored in the
fridge, just give the jar a vigorous shake before you use it next (making sure the lid is on
tightly).

A quick, creamy salad dressing

For a quick creamy dressing, mix together mayonnaise, natural yoghurt and a little zingy
lemon juice until it’s reached your desired consistency, then add in chopped fresh herbs.
Basil, parsley, mint and coriander all work beautifully. From here, you can decide if you’d
like to blend it until silky smooth or enjoy it in its more rustic chunky form.

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A few topping tips
Quickly turn a hearty salad base into a hero dish by adding in a protein source such as
shredded roast chicken, flakes of fresh grilled fish, crispy bacon, chorizo bits, or slivers
of just-cooked steak.
For vegetable toppings like mushrooms, don’t worry about chopping them into
uniform shapes and sizes. Part of the charm of simple salads is their casual, “thrown
together” appearance.
Adding a little olive oil to the butter in the pan when cooking vegetables keeps the
butter from burning.
When cooking mushrooms, go for a relatively high heat so that they cook quickly and
don’t lose too much moisture. Also, remember that adding a drizzle of balsamic
vinegar to the mushrooms gives them a gorgeous rich, sticky sweetness and a pretty
caramel colour.
Add a little flare to a simple salad in the form of fresh herbs. Mint, flat-leaf parsley,
basil and coriander are excellent, versatile options.

Cheat sheet for this lesson’s recipes

Ingredient substitutions, shortcuts and time-saving tips

1. Instead of wild mushrooms, you can use brown, butter or Portobellini mushrooms -
whatever you can find.
2. If you’re not a fan of hot stuff, leave the chilli out of the vinaigrette.
3. Vinaigrette keeps beautifully, so make a larger batch and enjoy it with a few meals
during the week.

Learn to cook online at learn.yuppiechef.com

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