A vegetarian first course perfect for summer.
Even though summer has been a long time coming this year, we cannot give up those fresh recipes to be enjoyed outdoors, perhaps in the shade of a large maritime pine tree, or cross-legged on a blanket in the middle of a meadow, or simply on the terrace at home in the company of friends.
Salads are a one-pot meal full of flavor and tastes that can vary according to our preferences, whether vegetarian, vegan, gluttonous or healthy. The great thing is.
you can range with the seasoning but also with the choice of grain:
- the classic rice salad is timeless, the one with Carnaroli rice
- the crispier version with Black Rice, for example, with shrimp and vegetables
- the more modern and exotic version with Basmati Rice as Poké salmon and avocado
But it is not only rice that is used, in fact pearl spelt and pearl barley are perfect for these preparations, they differ in the texture of the grain, which is more full-bodied and hearty than rice.A very easy and quick example to make is, for example,spelt salad with green beans. All we needed was a little recipe using pearl barley, and here it is: fresh and colorful, with lots of seasonal vegetables and an aromatic touch given by the chopped omelet.
It’s true that the preparation takes a little time, for cooking the grain cereal and preparing the vegetables, but you can prepare a generous portion so that you have a supply for a few days and thus avoid spending hot summer days at the stove.
Why choosepearl barley
L’pearl barley is not born that way in the field, when it is harvested it retains an outer part that must be removed in order to cook and process it: the process is called pearling.
It is an excellent substitute for Carnaroli Rice because it is very similar but has different properties, for example, the caloric intake of about 300 calories per 100gr of product, has a high fiber content, and is rich in amino acids, which are essential both before and after physical exertion and therefore ideal for sportsmen, cyclists, runners and athletes who do endurance sports.
Barley has good anti-inflammatory power as well as being an aid against constipation. For all these reasons we have chosen it as the main ingredient in our summer salad so that you too can use it and take advantage of these benefits.
Don’t be intimidated by the cooking time!
One trick can be to soak thebarley in the evening and prepare it in the morning, reducing the cooking time to 15 minutes.
For this preparation, however, the grain needs to be crispy and not too soft so I recommend boiling it in salted water for about 30 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water so it locks in the cooking process.
This recipe is very simple and with seasonal ingredients but you can enrich it with some grilled chicken meat or cubes of ham to make it even greasier or you can avoid the omelet thus obtaining a vegan recipe.
The choice is yours, in the meantime here is our fresh summer proposal.
Insalata estiva di orzo
Ingredients
- 250 g Orzo perlato
- 1/2 Cipolla
- 70 g Carote
- 150 g Zucchine
- 1 Peperone
- 1 Frittata con erbette
Instructions
Preparazione Orzo perlato:
- In una pentola capiente portare a bollore abbondante acqua salata.
- Versare l'orzo in pentola e cuocere per circa mezz'ora (assaggiare alcuni chicchi per verificare la cottura, l'orzo deve risultare croccante, nè duro nè troppo morbido)
- Scolare l'orzo, sciacquare con acqua fredda in modo da fermare la cottura, scolare nuovamente e tenere da parte.
Preparazione Verdure:
- Pulire la cipolla, tagliare finemente e mettere in una padella ampio con un goccio di olio di semi.
- Fare imbiondire la cipolla.
- Pulire le carote, tagliare a piccoli cubettini e aggiungere in padella alla cipolla. Cuocere per 10 minuti rigirando di tanto in tanto con un cucchiaio.
- Pulire le zucchine, tagliare a cubetti; pulire il peperone, tagliare a cubetti.
- Aggiungere in padella le restanti verdure e cuocere senza coperchio per circa 20 minuti mescolando sovente per non far attaccare le verdure sul fondo della padella.
- Spegnere il fuoco, trasferire le verdure in una cotola capiente e lasciare raffreddare.
Preparazione Frittata:
- In una ciotola unire 3 uova, un pizzico di sale, un goccio di latte e una grattuggiata di parmigiano. Mescolare a mano con una frusta.
- Lavare le erbette (menta, salvia, maggiorana, erba di san pietro..), asciugare e tritare le erbette con l'aiuto di una mezzaluna. Trasferire insieme al composto di uova e amalgamare.
- Ungere leggermente con olio di oliva una padella antiaderente. Scaldare la padella e versarvi il preparato. Coprire con coperchio e lasciare cuocere per 6-7 minuti. Quando la frittata si stacca dal fondo della padella capovolgerla e cuocere ancora 5 minuti senza coperchio.
- Rimuovere la frittata dalla padella e riporla su un piato piano e lasciare raffreddare.
Assemblaggio e condimento:
- Prendere la ciotola delle verdure, unirvi l'orzo ormai freddo e infine la frittata tagliata a pezzettini.
- Condire con un filo di olio extra vergine d'oliva, e volendo un cucchiaio di maionese.
- Riporre in frigorifero e lasciar riposare un paio d'ore in modo che i sapori si amalgamino per bene.
