Make Ahead

Blood Orange, Roasted Root Vegetable, and Barley Salad

January 30, 2013
4.5
2 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Winter where I live in Finland is cold -- really cold. And the best way to brighten up your day, in my opinion, is to use gorgeous, bright-colored, fresh seasonal citrus fruit and earthy root vegetables that can chase any winter blues away. This recipe uses blood orange and slow-roasted parsnips and carrots combined with hearty cooked barley for a robust and satisfying salad. —EatSimplyEatWell

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: EatSimplyEatWell is a Seattle native who now lives in Helinski, Finland.
WHAT: An earthy cold weather salad that's good enough to eat year-round.
HOW: Drown out the winter by combining bright winter citrus with barley, roasted root vegetables, green onions, and olive oil. Toss with flaxseeds and add almonds for an extra crunch.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Jewel-toned citrus with roasted vegetables is one of those combinations that may not come to mind immediately, but once served, makes perfect sense: The slightly sweet caramelized edges of the carrots and parsnips balance the bitterness of the blood orange flesh. The base of earthy grains tie the whole thing together, solidifying this salad's spot in our winter dinner rotation. —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup barley
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided, plus more to taste
  • 1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into sticks
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1/2 blood orange, juiced (do not discard the pulp)
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds (or use almond meat leftover from making almond milk)
  • 1/2 blood orange, supremed, to garnish
Directions
  1. Add the barley to a pot with 2 1/14 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer, covered, until the barley is tender and the water is absorbed, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and drain off any excess water. This will make 2 cups.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400º F (200º C). Place the parsnip and carrots on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until fork-tender and slightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. If you have over 1 cup of vegetables, reserve the rest in the refrigerator for your next salad. Set aside the vegetables you are using.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed and 3 teaspoons water and set aside to soak for at least 1 minute.
  4. To assemble the salad, combine the green onions, orange juice, soaked flaxseed, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium-sized bowl and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the barley and chopped root vegetables and toss the whole mixture to combine thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl with the supremed orange as garnish.

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5 Reviews

CondimentQueen July 19, 2020
Does 1/3 cup of uncooked barley really yield 2 cups of cooked? I could well be wrong but that seems like a big expansion. I think this recipe sounds delicious so I want to make it for a small group and I don't want to be short. I guess I will make barley the way I always do and if there is extra I will use it for something else.
Patricia G. October 15, 2017
There is no mention of the almonds in the recipe process. Garnish or what?
Megan H. October 11, 2017
Can I use flaxseed meal instead and if so do I need to soak it?
Nina March 26, 2015
there is no parsnip in the ingredient list (step 2). one parsnip? how many?
theresa M. March 26, 2015
there is no parsnip in the ingredient list (step 2). one parsnip?