Pesto, Barley & Edamame Salad
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • For the pesto:
  • 2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
  • 1 cup baby spinach leaves, loosely packed
  • 1 cup slivered raw almonds
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons. lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • For the salad:
  • 4 cups cooked barley (about 2 cups uncooked prepared according to package directions)*
  • 1 pound. shelled, frozen edamame beans
Instructions
  1. Prepare the pesto. Blend by blending all of the ingredients together in a food processor until the ingredients are completely combined (and no longer visible individually). Set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, blanch the edamame. Set aside a bowl of cold ice water large enough to hold all of the edamame. Boil edamame in a pot for about five minutes until they are tender but still firm. Drain in a colander and pour directly into the ice water, which stops them from cooking further and keeps them firm and crisp.
  3. In a large bowl, toss the cooked barley with the edamame and half the pesto mixture. Taste and add more pesto if needed. Continue tasting and adding more sauce until you are satisfied with the ratio of pesto to barley. Save leftover pesto in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze it in a plastic bag for up to a month. 4 – 6 main servings as a main dish.
Recipe by In Good Taste at https://ingoodtaste.kitchen/pesto-barley-edamame-salad/