The Nordic Kitchen: Smoked Salmon With Pearl Barley

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Claus Meyer is the cofounder of world-renowned Copenhagen restaurant Noma, as well as a storied cookbook author, television show host, university professor and global culinary ambassador. When he releases a collection of recipes, it's a must-own.

Nordic cooking is famously season-specific, owing to its bounty of forage-friendly produce, tried-and-true preservation methods and hunting and fishing dependent on migration patterns. Welcome these techniques and recipes into your kitchen and enjoy the cuisine that inspired one of the best restaurants in the world.

Reprinted with permission from The Nordic Kitchen

The Nordic Kitchen: Smoked Salmon With Pearl Barley
No Ratings
Prep Time
15
minutes
Cook Time
30
minutes
Servings
0
servings
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup pearl barley (uncooked)
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • Sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon standard canola oil
  • Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 organic lemon
  • 1 teaspoon acacia honey
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 1 ounce fresh baby spinach
  • 1 apple
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons walnuts
  • 5 3/4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon (or sea trout)
Directions
  1. Rinse the pearl barley well in cold water. Put it in a saucepan, add the 1¼ cups of water and a little salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let the barley stand, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. When the barley is done — it should be tender but still al dente — season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Whisk the oil, lemon zest and juice, honey, salt, and pepper together in a bowl to make a dressing and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
  4. Rinse the celery and spinach. Slice the celery very finely and mix with the spinach in a large bowl. Cut the apple into quarters, remove the core, and slice it very finely. Add it to the bowl, along with the cooked pearl barley and the walnuts, coarsely chopped.
  5. Mix the dressing into the salad and serve it with thin slices of smoked salmon (or sea trout) and some good bread.
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