Recipe - Roasted Asparagus And Sweet Onion And Barley Salad

3 cup Water
Coarse salt
1 cup Pearl barley
1 pound Asparagus; trimmed
1 lg Sweet onion (Vadalia or
Walla Walla); peeled and
cut into 1/2inch rings
Extravirgin olive oil
2 tablespoon Sherry Vinegar; up to 3
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
to taste
Romaine or red or green
lettuce leaves; rinsed and
dried for lining the plates

Serves 4 to 6. Bring the water to a boil in a mediumsized saucepan. Add
about One half teaspoon salt (to taste) and the barley. Lower the heat and
simmer, uncovered until just tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. Drain.

While the barley is cooking, toss the asparagus and the onion rings with
enough oil to coat and sprinkle with a little of the coarse salt. Spread
the vegetables on a large sheet pan so they don't touch. Roast in a
preheated 425degree oven about 15 to 20 minutes or until the onions are a
caramel brown and the asparagus is tender and is beginning to brown.

To make the dressing, whisk together the vinegar and mustard then whisk in
about One fourth cup olive oil.

Line a large serving platter or individual plates with the lettuce leaves.
Heap the barley on the plates then arrange the roasted vegetables over the
barley. Drizzle with the dressing and season with a few grinds of pepper.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe by: Cooking class at Byerly's with Beth Dooley, 4/98

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by Kathleen schuller@ix.netcom.com on Apr 25,
1998