Grilled Steak with Barley Salad
Barley has a unique chewy texture and nutty flavour. Cooking barley is easy and can be ready in under 30 minutes. This recipe is super speedy if you are using leftover steak or roast beef – a tip: cook an extra steak when you barbecue for a meal short-cut at the ready. Barley can also be cooked ahead, cooled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months – another short-cut for speedy cooking.
1. Pat steak dry with paper towel and season all over with salt and pepper to your taste. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Cook steak for 3 to 5 minutes per side, turning at least twice, until a digital instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into steak reads 145ºF (63ºF) for medium-rare at the least (or 160ºF/71ºC for medium, or 170ºF/77ºC for well-done). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
2. Barley Salad: Heat canola oil over medium-high heat in a sauté pan or shallow saucepan. Cook onion and mushrooms, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are soft. Stir in garlic, sumac, salt, pepper and lemon zest.
3. Reduce heat to medium and stir in cooked barley and half the lemon juice. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Stir in grapes, cheese, pine nuts and remaining lemon juice.
4. Carve steak across grain into thin slices and serve over Barley Salad. Garnish with sliced green onions and drizzle of olive oil, if using.
It takes about 30 minutes to cook ½ cup (125 mL) raw pearl barley to get 1½ cups (375 mL) cooked barley for this recipe. Follow package instructions to cook.
If you are not a fan of grapes or the flavour of sumac, substitute chopped dried figs and a pinch of dried or chopped fresh thyme instead.
Ingredients
Directions
1. Pat steak dry with paper towel and season all over with salt and pepper to your taste. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Cook steak for 3 to 5 minutes per side, turning at least twice, until a digital instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into steak reads 145ºF (63ºF) for medium-rare at the least (or 160ºF/71ºC for medium, or 170ºF/77ºC for well-done). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
2. Barley Salad: Heat canola oil over medium-high heat in a sauté pan or shallow saucepan. Cook onion and mushrooms, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are soft. Stir in garlic, sumac, salt, pepper and lemon zest.
3. Reduce heat to medium and stir in cooked barley and half the lemon juice. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Stir in grapes, cheese, pine nuts and remaining lemon juice.
4. Carve steak across grain into thin slices and serve over Barley Salad. Garnish with sliced green onions and drizzle of olive oil, if using.
It takes about 30 minutes to cook ½ cup (125 mL) raw pearl barley to get 1½ cups (375 mL) cooked barley for this recipe. Follow package instructions to cook.
If you are not a fan of grapes or the flavour of sumac, substitute chopped dried figs and a pinch of dried or chopped fresh thyme instead.
