3 useful tips for spelt and barley salad
Buy the right cereals:
Both spelt and barley are commercially available in two versions:
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Decorticated: this is the most whole-grain version, which requires soaking for 12 hours and cooking for at least 1 hour.
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Perlata: this is the finest version, in which the outer coating is removed through the pearling process. No soaking is needed and the cooking time is about 20 minutes.
For a faster recipe, we recommend making spelt and barley salad with grains that have undergone the pearling process.
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Spelt usually does not need to be washed before use (however, remember to read the directions on the package).
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Barley, on the other hand, should always be washed, otherwise there is a risk that once cooked it will take on a gelatinous consistency that is unpalatable to the palate.
Remember that both grains should be cooked by putting them directly into cold water in the pot.
Choose fresh fava beans:
If the time is right (March to July), we recommend that you buy fresh fava beans, which are ideal for giving that extra touch of flavor to our spelt and barley salad.
- When buying, make sure the pod is shiny and firm (pressing it should break it with a pop).
- To clean them, extract the seeds by splitting the pod in two and running your thumb inside.
- Remove from the seeds the small outgrowth that resembles a stalk and the husk that covers them.
At this point the fava beans will be ready to make your salad even better.
Use raw asparagus:
Another key ingredient in our spelt and barley soup with vegetables is asparagus: if you can, buy wild asparagus, which is usually more tender and flavorful; otherwise, cultivated asparagus will do just fine.
When purchasing, pay attention to these small details:
- The tip should be firm and straight.
- The leaflets on the top should be tightly closed.
- The stalks should be firm, unblemished, and have a nice round shape, not squashed.
- If bent, the stem should not flex easily, but should break.
Remember to rinse the asparagus well under running water to remove any soil residue, and soak them for a few minutes in water and baking soda. Before using them, rinse and dry them well.
Before we leave you to the actual recipe, here's one last tip: spelt and barley salad should be dressed exclusively with extra virgin olive oil, which is healthy and light, just like this recipe.
We recommend theExtra Virgin Olive Oil Il Casolare Farchioni, obtained from a variety of olives that have the characteristic of maintaining the characteristic fruity flavor of this oil with its intense green color and extremely balanced fragrance, ideal to use raw on salads, the perfect ingredient for our recipe.
