A white knuckle ride of a thread about PEARL BARLEY

[Slubberdegullion]

[Florence & The Machine Inspirational Music Intro]

Pearl Barley

[Shots of young people doing parkour on walls with graffiti]

Right I have 375 g of pearl barley left in my 500g bag and unless I get some VERY EXCITING and dramatic ideas of what the chuff to do with it the dds will be clearing it out from the top back shelf in 40 years time when I have snuffed it.

NO SOUP

Thank you

Some brilliant recipies here. It is good to see pearl barley finally getting the love that it deserves. Really really, its mouth-feel when cooked in a stew is the grown-up version of being suckled cuddled baby.

Is it really the basis of frumenty? I must try that. With frumenty I always think of the alcohol-laced version that causes the Mayor of Casterbridge to get drunk and sell his wife, with tragic novel-filling consequences.

So be careful with that recipe.

Wonder could it help me sell DH?

Hidden benefits.

See, pearl barley is exciting. Spouse-sale doesn't need jazzing up with parkour.

I just had pearl barley for breakfast: bioled in a little water till near-cooked; then when water ran out I added a little milk, boiled a bit longer and ate when there was still a little bit of creamy boiled milk sloshing round.

Would have been even nicer with added rum but was lovely.

I LOVE pearl barley.

I've just done a Anthony Worral-Thomas slow cooker recipe with pearl barley, parma ham, spring greens and chorizo

Right Slubbers - go to your Plastic Cupboard Of Carnage, right now, this moment.

Rummage, dig and delve to find a box, with appropriate lid (I know, it's difficult, but I promise you it will be worth it).

Tip your 3/4 bag of pearl barley into box and seal tightly.

Now, go and find your phone or iPod (other mp3 players are available).

Got it?

Is it switched on?

Yes? Ok then, now drop it down the loo. (flushed or not, it won't make much any difference to the final outcome)

Quickly retrieve the gadget.

Right - now this is the important bit - do NOT switch the phone on.

If you can open the battery compartment, it's best to do so.

Seal the phone in the pearl barley grave box and put the box in a warmish place, but not the oven, like an airing cupboard.

Now, leave the gadget sealed in the box for 3 weeks until completely dry. The pearl barley will have absorbed all the moisture from the dunking and the gadget will smell of poo be as good as new.

I await your thanks.

Wow.

And the mighty hidden depths of awesomeness that is Pearl Barley just keep on coming.

Fixing drowned electrical goods, enabling spousal sales, BREAKFAST OPTIONS (+/- rum), just learning the phrase mouth-feel has given me some unexpected joy.

Thank you Chaos for your step by step guide. I may
print off and laminate for future reference.

I make risotto with it with carrots, leeks & mushrooms in it. Yum. Making it tonight actually, might chuck some chorizo in too as have some lurking in the fridge.

We eat it with goulash (just beef or pork stoo wiv tomatoes, peppers and lots of paprika in it really). The kids love it - they think its a kind of rice (from the days when the ONLY thing DD2 would eat was rice - you'd be amazed what's in a name ).

The clue is in the name, really. It is called pearl barley, which means "jewel of wholesome heartiness". Each grain is polished, truly. It is the queen of grains.

You would think they would put it in a posher and more regal looking bag wouldn't you?

AND get it up off the bottom shelf. I come over all snobby and precious if I have to stoop to get my groceries.

I see I made 34p up. 39p it is.

Guess what I had for dinner

PEARL BARLEY.

A nice risotto with bacon and mushrooms and chicken stock and sundry veg.

It was deeeLICious.

And I bought a top-up pack today. 39p in Tesco also.

That is nearly free.

Did you Eleison?

Hahahahaha

guess what I am having for dinner tonight?

It's a culinary adventure with bratwurst sausages, mushrooms and yes! Pearl Barley!

Woo hoo

I am sparklingly cystitis free now.

Who wants to start the bidding on my DH?

Delighted to hear of your super cleansed urinary tract.

I thought you could only sell the dh via the ways of frumenty?

I know it's a food thread, but barley can also make an excellent heat pack. Just bung it in a tight woven sock and knot the open end. Microwave for two minutes. I put mine at the foot of my bed every night

no no Mary.

There have been medicinal factoids, historical recipes, a literary reference, coldtits and the tupperware-egg combo and several silly craft suggestions so, no your heat pack tip is very welcome.

Of course now I have tasted its delights (twice!) I will only be using my pearl barley for stuffing in my face.

I am clearly easily-led. I bought some pearl barley today. I have no time or plans to cook anything more complicated than toast until Sunday at least. Arse.

Frumenty. What a fabulous word. Shall have to make some.

I've only tried it in soup and in beef stew, but found this recipe for squash and pearl barley salad with balsamic vinaigrette the other day. Looks yummy in the picture. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7995/squash-and-barley-salad-with-balsamic-vinaigrette Genius thread btw.

Chaos!! If only I'd known!

3 weeks ago DS dropped my phone in the loo (part of the delights of potty training). Which led to endless trips & phonecalls to carphone warehouse until finally 3 weeks later phone was replaced.

And to think I have a tupperware of pearl barley in my kitchen somewhere... Who knew?!

Well I cocked up our dinner tonight. Sat there saying "if I had only thrown in a handful of pearl barley it would have been nice".

So you don't have to boil it if you're slow cooking it? Does that apply to lentils too?

Am thinking of using it with bacon and tinned toms etc tonight?? I would normally make mash but peeling potatoes makes me feel sick.

I would have thought no need to boil PB before a slowcook.

I confess I had pealr barley cooked in milk again for breakfast. Leetle bit worried about addiction issues now.

You must start making your breakfast very early Eleison, that or eat it very late.

I have to admit to not reading the instructions on the packet and thought I could use it last night just like risotto.

No.

After quite a long time of stirring and testing I then read the packet and it need to be simmered for 1hour and 15 mins. Was forced to eat some cheese in the interim.

This is FINE for slow cooky casserole things but my all encompassing enthusiasm for PB (I see we are shortening it to PB now because we know what it is) has been slightly lessened with timing/simmering aspect.

It still tasted great! No complaints there oh no. We are having it again tonight so will join you in addictive issues corner Eleison.