Recipe: Wild About Barley (salad with wild rice, dried cranberries, and walnuts)

WILD ABOUT BARLEY

3/4 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup wild rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups water
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

In medium saucepan with lid, bring water to a boil. Add pearl barley, wild rice and salt; return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook about 40 minutes or until barley is tender but chewy.

While barley-wild rice is cooking, pour orange juice over dried cranberries and set aside.

Drain any excess liquid from cooked barley and rice mixture. Place barley and wild rice in large bowl. Drain cranberries, reserving 5 tablespoons orange juice. Toss cranberries with barley and wild rice.

Mix reserved orange juice with lemon juice and onion. Whisk in olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over barley mixture. Add chopped parsley and toasted walnuts; mix well.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Servings: 6
Source: National Barley Foods Council