Barley Pilaf

We went out for dinner last night and I had a delicious vegetarian meal at a restaurant best known for its schnitzel and German cuisine. The chef made me a phyllo-wrapped mushroom pastry that was out of this world (must figure out how to make it) and served it on a bed of creamy barley. Our newspaper featured a barley stew this week and I modified it slightly as follows:-

30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium yellow onions, diced
28-ounce can chopped tomatoes ( I would use no-salt tomatoes next time)
5 ml dried thyme and basil
1 litre (4 cups) vegetable broth
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) pearl barley
341-ml (12-oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into strips
140 g (5 oz) fresh baby spinach
2 diced portabella mushrooms
250 ml (1 cup) water
Ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a large saucepan over medium, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 6 to 7 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, broth, and barley, then bring to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook until the barley is tender, about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the mushrooms about half way through the cooking time. Stir in the roasted red peppers, baby spinach and water. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Serves 6.

Garnish with sliced olives if desired.