Phew, the weather has finally cooled down here in the Bay Area. It’s so wonderful to be able to open the blinds and windows during the day – and not go stir-crazy. (Lunchtime and afternoon walks with Rookie are back, baby!)
That said, I’m savoring the end of summer by stuffing myself with salad for a few reasons:
- It is effortless and requires minimal cooking.
- You can easily turn leftovers into bestovers with add-ins.
- There’s always room for dessert. 😉
My current go-tos are barley with zucchini and sumac (a riff on a recipe from The Cook You Want to Be) and Bowl of Delicious’ BLT pasta salad. Both dishes are delightful, but there is a significant difference between the two.
While BLT pasta salad is best eaten right away, barley with zucchini and sumac tastes better with time (as the ingredients mingle and meld). And, no surprise, they each have a unique flavor profile. So choose which one suits your mood and schedule.
Recipe adapted from The Cook You Want to Be.
- 1½ cups pearl barley
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for finish
- 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 4 zucchini, cut crosswise into ⅛"-thick pieces
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 1 cup pitted green olives, like Castelvetrano or Frescatrano
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons ground sumac
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups fresh herbs, roughly chopped (see notes)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add barley, reduce heat to medium and cook until al dente, about 35 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- In a large fry pan, combine 4 tablespoons olive oil and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until garlic is fragrant and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add zucchini and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is completely softened, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Aleppo pepper.
- Tear olives into ½" pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add red onion, red wine vinegar, sumac and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine; let sit for 10 minutes.
- Add prepared barley and zucchini and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; toss gently to combine.
- Gently fold in the herbs. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and serve at room temperature.
