Funny how barley, a crop traced back to 7000 B.C., continues to surprise and delight, as if every dish it appears in reinvents its roasted-nut taste. Lately it has ventured beyond its supporting role in mushroom barley soup and Scotch broth to a starring role in dishes such as risotto and in salads. The off-white oval kernels most commonly sold as pearl barley have had the tough husk, bran, and germ ground away, yielding the endosperm, a kernel that cooks much faster than hulled, or whole, barley. Pearl barley will keep for at least 6 months in an airtight container in a cool pantry. Scotch, or pot, barley has more of the bran left on, and therefore more fiber, phosphorus, and potassium are retained. Barley is processed into several quick-cooking forms, including steamed and rolled into flakes or cut into grits for breakfast cereal.
The amount of liquid used to cook pearl barley varies according to the desired texture. Cook 1 cup pearl barley with 3 cups water for a firm, chewy texture, or use 4 cups water for a softer texture, adding 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt to the water. Pearl barley can be substituted for brown rice in Oven-Baked Brown Rice with Mushrooms, (increase the stock to 3 cups) and for white rice in Risotto Milanese (increase the stock to 6 cups, or as needed). Both hulled and Scotch barley should be soaked for 8 hours or overnight, then simmered until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, in a ratio of 1 cup barley to 4 to 5 cups liquid.
Microwave 1 cup pearl barley with 2 3/4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a covered casserole on high for 5 minutes, then on medium-low for 42 to 45 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Microwave the same way 1/2 cup pearl barley and 1/2 cup long-grain brown rice.
