Barley Salad with Grilled Asparagus, Green Garlic, & Lemon

Ingredients

• 3 T. olive oil
• ½ medium onion, small dice
• 1 ½ c. barley, quinoa or farro (your choice, whichever you prefer)
• 2 ¾ c. vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water
• 3 stalks green garlic
• 3 stalks red spring onion
• 6 stalks asparagus
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 T. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ c. toasted pine nuts
• ¼ c. ricotta salata shavings (parmesan us a nice alternative)

 Procedure

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Heat 1 T. olive oil in small to medium saucepan at low heat.  Add onion and sauté until onion softens and becomes translucent. 
• Add grain and continue to cook until it is lightly toasted. 
• Add stock or water, ½ t. salt.  Increase heat until liquid comes to a boil.
• Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until grains are softened and almost fully cooked, adding additional liquid if needed.  Remove from heat and allow to sit for additional 10 minutes to complete cooking process. 
• While grains are cooking, trim just the tips of the green garlic and red spring onion, then slice at a sharp diagonal from base to tip.  Trim asparagus ends, slice into 1” pieces at a diagonal, reserving top 1 ½” of tip.  Slice tips in half lengthwise
• Place asparagus, green garlic, and red spring onion in shallow oven-safe pan, toss with 2 T. olive oil and ½ t. kosher salt.  Place pan in oven and allow to cook until softened and just beginning to brown, about 10-15 minutes.
• Combine grains with asparagus, garlic.  Add ½ of the lemon zest, ½ of the lemon juice, 1 T. olive oil, salt and pepper.  Add additional zest, juice, s&p to taste.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with pine nuts and ricotta salata sprinkled over the top.