With all of the veggies from our CSA, I often don't have to make much of a trip to the grocery store because my pantry is so well-stocked. Using a combination of vegetables, legumes, and a whole grain, you've got a healthy, filling, and cheap meal that will also leave you with plenty of leftovers. That combination can go anywhere from Indian to Mexican to Southern depending on the spices. We added a touch of Louisiana hot sauce to this just to kick it up a bit. The barley, used as a substitute for the more traditional rice, ups the fiber content and the nutty flavor.
The original recipe calls for quick-cooking barley, but I just soaked regular barley overnight in order to cut down the cooking time. You could also add more vegetables if you'd like; an extra bell pepper or some diced carrots would go with this dish perfectly.
Barley Hoppin' John
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-ounce can vegetable broth
1 cup quick-cooking barley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas, rinsed
Preparation
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook until the vegetables soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add broth, barley, thyme, lemon juice, crushed red pepper and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the barley is done, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in black-eyed peas. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve hot.
