Beet Pesto Barley Bowl with Wild Mushrooms
Beet Pesto Barley Bowl with Wild Mushrooms
Ingredients
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon pine nuts, lightly toasted, plus more for topping
2 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 bunch beets with greens (3-4 medium beets, any color)
Crumbled goat cheese, for topping (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sprigs fresh thyme
8 ounces mixed wild mushrooms (such as oyster, shiitake, etc.), trimmed and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup pearl barley, cooked according to package instructions (you can also use quinoa or bulgar or whatever base grain you’d like!)
Step by step
Position two oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 400° F.
Cook pearl barley according to package instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.
Wash and trim beets; set greens aside. Place beets in the center of a piece of aluminum foil, two beets per square of foil. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons olive oil and rub all over beets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gather foil around tops of beets to form a packet, with the opening at the top to prevent leakage. Place packets on a cookie sheet and roast for 50-60 minutes or until beets are fork tender.
Carefully open tops of foil to release steam, and let cool for about 10 minutes. When beets are cool enough to handle, rub skins off using a paper towel. Slice into 3/8″ slices and then cut slices into cubes.
While beets are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut thick stems out of beet greens and discard. Blanch greens for 30 seconds until bright green, then transfer to an ice bath.
Drain, squeezing out as much liquid as possible from the greens, and place in the bowl of your KitchenAid® Mini Food Processor along with the basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, honey, orange zest, vinegar, and salt. Pulse 3 or 4 times to chop. Scrape down sides as needed, then add olive oil and pulse a few more times to combine.
Toss mushrooms with 1/4 cup olive oil, fresh thyme, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring once, until mushrooms are golden brown and nearly crispy.
To assemble, toss barley with about 2/3 of pesto mixture. Divide among serving bowls. Top with cubed beets, roasted mushrooms, crumbled goat cheese, and a sprinkle of pine nuts if desired.
Serve warm or at room temperature with remaining pesto on the side.