Skip to main content

Bean Barley Quinoa Stew


This hearty vegetarian stew nearly makes itself.


1 lb dry cannellini beans or Spanish Tolosana (Steuben yellow eye bean)
1/4 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup red quinoa (short grain brown rice)

1 sweet yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 bulb fennel, trimmed and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 qt chicken broth
enough water just to cover beans

Soak the beans in a large bowl of water with 1 Tbsp salt overnight.  Drain beans when ready to cook.

Sauté onion, celery, fennel and carrot in a dash of olive oil in a pressure cooker.  Cook until veggies just begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Add the beans, barley and quinoa to the veggies.  Add the broth, and water if necessary to just cover beans).
Bring beans to a boil, then cover pressure cooker.  Bring pressure cooker to high and cook 3 minutes. Remove pressure cooker from heat and allow to depressurize naturally - about 15-20 minutes.

When depressurized, open pressure cooker and serve soup.  

Serves 4-6.

Cook's Note:  You can use many other beans for this - but you may have to adjust cooking time depending on the bean.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Chicken Piccata over Squid Ink Pasta

Serve this delicious lemony piccata over your favorite pasta. 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thick cutlets 1/4 cup flour 1 lemon sliced and de-seeded  2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp capers 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup dry white wine crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 8 oz squid ink pasta fresh parsley for garnish Melt butter in the oil in a skillet.  Fry the lemon slices for a few minutes, just until beginning to brown.   Set aside on a plate.  Lightly salt and pepper each chicken breast.  Dredge the chicken in the flour and brown the first side of each in the butter mixture in the skillet.  Flip to brown second side.  Cook over low heat for a total of about 15 minutes.   Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta.  Cook until just al dente. Remove chicken to a plate when cooked through. Add capers and garlic to skillet and cook 2-3 minutes.   Season to taste with c

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs.  Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have.  Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade.   Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 375F. 

Chicken Quinoa Veggie Bowl

This is a satisfying high veggie, high protein, low fat dinner for those who need comfort and fitness all at the same time. Quinoa: 1 cup multicolor quinoa 2 cups good chicken broth 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 tsp Ajika seasoning (I used Trader Joe’s - see notes) 1 Tbsp parsley, finely minced 1/4 tsp garlic powder 3 Kirby (Israeli, or miniature) cucumbers, sliced 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar (see notes) 1/4 cup cider vinegar Freshly ground pepper 12-14 grape tomatoes, sliced in thirds along their length 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely minced 2 Tbsp favorite vinaigrette dressing (see notes) Salad topping: 4 small Belgian endives, sliced 2 cups radicchio, torn into small pieces 2 cups arugula 2 Tbsp favorite vinaigrette dressing (see notes) 1.3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch wide strips 1/2 Tbsp butter plus 1/2 Tbsp olive oil 8 oz sugar snap peas 1 yellow pepper, cored and sliced 1/4-inch 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 ripe avocado, halved, cored, peeled and sliced