As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, ‘cosy vibes’ are all around while we begin to dig out our ‘big coats’ and boots. With this, consumers move towards cooking more ‘wintery’ foods to give them that cosy feeling during the cold days and nights.
What you may not know, is that one of Britain’s oldest grains can be used to enhance these dishes, adding extra texture and flavour…
Bring in the barley
We have a vested interest in bringing barley into your winter warmer menu. Our hometown of Berwick-upon-Tweed dates back to Saxon times, with the word Berwick derived from the term bere-wīc meaning Barley Village.
Barley is a very versatile ingredient, with a number of nutritional benefits thanks to its high fibre content. These include improved digestive health, help towards lowering cholesterol and controlling blood sugar levels, and the delivery of slow-release energy and antioxidants.
So, from our ‘Barley Village’ to yours, here are some of the dishes where barley can be readily incorporated.
Soups and broths
Pearled barley is traditionally used in Scotch Broth but is also a great way to bulk out and add further texture to other soups and cosy broths such as Minestrone or Cock-a-leekie.
One pots
Barley makes a great addition to those lovely warming ‘one pot dishes’. Adding it in with vegetables and cooking in meat stock allows it to slowly simmer away and bring an earthy flavour and density to casseroles, stews, ragouts, pot roasts or tagines, along with a fibre boost.
Risottos and pilaffs
Great news! Pearl barley risottos are much cheaper than traditional risottos and have a lovely nutty flavour which complements many autumnal ingredients such as mushrooms and gourds.
Warm salads
Salads need not be relegated to summer. There are some great warm salad recipes out there, with warm goats’ cheese or chicken giving just two examples. Adding warm barley adds another exciting texture to the salad, along with some extra fibre and energy.
Vegetarian dishes
This may not be a shock, but barley is vegetarian, although it has been described as having a somewhat ‘meaty’ texture when pearled. This makes it a great addition to vegetarian dishes that require something sturdier to bring them together, such as nut roasts or vegetarian Haggis.
Porridge and milk puddings
You can make porridge out of barley flakes or pearl barley instead of oats or add in pearl barley for more bite. It can also be sweet OR savoury thanks to barley’s flavour profile. Milk puddings such as those made from rice, semolina or macaroni are easy to prepare and budget friendly. Rice pudding is traditionally made with pudding rice, milk, cream and sugar, often with cinnamon or nutmeg added. Pearl barley makes a good substitute for the rice giving a hearty and satisfying dessert for those cold days.
Our barley products
Whether you want Barley Flakes, Pearled Barley, Kibbled Toasted Barley, Wholemeal Barley Flour or Organic Barley Flakes, we can supply you with a high-quality product produced at our onsite processing plants.
Our experienced NPD team can help you get the most out of this flexible and versatile grain. Contact them and see how they can help with your product development.