This CL–perfected stovetop technique makes smoking food easier than ever (though the salad is still tasty if you choose not to smoke the grains), and smoke is such a fun flavor to apply to unexpected ingredients like barley. A sweet vinaigrette, earthy beets, and the intense citrus twang of grapefruit balance the robust smoky hit of the grains for a memorable salad. To make sure you’re getting the whole-grain version of barley, look for hulled, and skip past pearled.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1/2 cup cherry or apple wood chips
2 cups cooked whole-grain hulled barley (about 2/3 cup uncooked grains)
6 medium beets with greens
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
4 teaspoons honey
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large pink or ruby red grapefruits, peeled and sectioned
Preparation
1. Pierce 10 holes on one side of the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch disposable aluminum foil pan. Coat pan with cooking spray. Arrange wood chips over holes in pan. Spread barley on opposite side of pan. Place hole side of pan over stovetop burner. When wood chips start to smoke, carefully cover pan with foil. Turn burner to medium-high; smoke 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat; carefully uncover. Spoon barley into a colander. Rinse and drain barley under cold water; drain well.
2. Trim beets, reserving greens. Remove tough stems from beet greens; tear greens to equal 6 cups, and set aside. Wrap 3 beets together in a large piece of microwave-safe parchment paper; make another parchment packet with remaining 3 beets. Microwave packets together at HIGH for 8 to 9 minutes or until tender; unwrap and cool slightly. Remove skins from beets; cut each beet into 8 wedges. Place beet wedges in a bowl.
3. Combine oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle 1 tablespoon vinaigrette over beet wedges; toss to coat. Add barley and beet greens to bowl with remaining vinaigrette; toss gently to coat. Arrange barley mixture in a serving bowl; top with beets and grapefruit sections.
