It was a bitterly cold January morning when the extra frozen calamari purchased for Christmas Eve popped into my head. At almost the same time I had a mild craving for pearl barley. Yes... I know I'm a weird foodie, but I'm also a guy who can "see" flavors, so my mind went to work churning out ideas to combine the two visions.
What came together as an idea over morning cawfee that ended up as a very cozy dish by dinnertime. Flavors are mild with a light lean into lemon, but distinct, and I think the dish has possibilities to explore other flavor profiles. As Chef Jacques Pepin teaches us... Make the dish your own! Enjoy :-)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb clean calamari
- 1 yellow onion - cut up
- 4-5 cloves garlic - smash minced
- 1 15 oz can green peas - drained with liquid reserved
- 1 lge tomato - cut up
- olive oil as needed
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup pearl barley - thoroughly rinsed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (1 lemon) - juice the lemon for more depth at the end (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley - minced
Soak the calamari in salt water for 30 minutes... then drain for 30 minutes.
Prep the onion, garlic, parsley, tomato and zest, peas and lemon juice.
Combine the broth, oil, butter and pepper in a medium
saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the barley, cover and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer ~35-40 minutes until tender and liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese, lemon zest and parsley. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or more until it's time to add to the calamari. Use some of the reserved juice from the peas so the barley doesn't thicken up.
While the calamari are soaking/draining, start final cook and assembly in your favorite large pot. Mine is a vintage Guardian Service roaster that was handed down to me by my Mother-In-Law, and it's an absolutely amazing connection to memories with the woman I still call Mom.
Add olive oil to the heated pot and saute the garlic and onion over medium heat until translucent.
Add the drained calamari, season with the black pepper and saute with frequent tossing until JUST cooked... maybe 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and the peas, blending as you go.
Finally add the barley and give everything a gentle mixing. Adjust seasoning to your liking... maybe more black pepper or lemon juice? Your call :-)
Serve with your favorite white wine... we found Sauvignon Blanc to be a really nice pairing.
Blessed be… and happy cooking!