All Recipes / Barley-Wax Bean Salad

Barley-Wax Bean Salad

with Golden Beets & Heirloom Cucumbers

Cucumber varieties fall into one of three categories—slicing, pickling, and burpless. These heirloom cucumbers are burpless, meaning they have thinner skin, contain almost no seeds, and are sweeter than other varieties. The particular variety in this recipe, also known as Korean cucumber, has bumpy skin and is both light and dark green in color.

Ingredients

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On the Cutting Board

6 Ounces Wax Beans
3 Tablespoons Walnuts
2 Heirloom Cucumbers
1 Red Onion
4 to 5 Golden Beets
¾ Cup Pearled Barley
2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Honey
2 Ounces Pecorino Romano Cheese

Instructions

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1 Prepare your ingredients:

Heat 2 medium pots of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Trim the stems off the wax beans. Roughly chop the walnuts. Peel and slice the cucumbers into rounds. Peel and slice half the red onion. (Save the other half for another use.)

2 Cook the beets:

Add the beets to one pot of boiling water. Cook 27 to 30 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and rinse under cold water. With your fingers or a paper towel, peel the skins off the beets and remove their tops. Slice the beets in half lengthwise, then drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

3 Cook the wax beans:

While the beets cook, add the wax beans to the other pot of boiling water. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl, leaving the boiling water in the pot.

4 Cook the barley:

Add the barley to the still boiling water used for the wax beans. Boil 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through. Drain thoroughly.

5 Make the dressing:

While the barley and beets cook, make the dressing. In a small bowl combine the white wine vinegar and honey. Gradually whisk in enough olive oil to make a dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6 Assemble the salad:

In a large bowl, combine the drained barley, wax beans, sliced onion, and cucumbers. Add a few spoonfuls of dressing (you may have extra dressing) and toss everything to coat. Divide the salad between 2 bowls or plates. Garnish each with half the beets and walnuts. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the Pecorino cheese over the top. Enjoy!

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