Whisk together:
Asparagus Barley Salad with Shrimp
(Serves 2 as an entree salad)
- 1 lb asparagus, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup cooked barley (to cook barley, bring about 4 cups water to boil in a pot. Add ½ cup dry pearled barley, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain.)
- ½ lb peeled shrimp
- 1 avocado, diced
- ½ cup roasted red peppers (available jarred in the grocery store), cut into 1-inch slivers
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cilantro, heavier stems removed, then chopped coarsely (For those of you who hate cilantro, you can substitute any fresh herbs of your choice. Italian parsley would be a great choice).
For the dressing:
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp dried dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 Tb honey
Set aside until you’re ready to toss everything together.
To blanche the asparagus, bring some water to a boil in a pan, add the asparagus, and cook until just barely tender, about two minutes. Drain and immerse in very cold water. Drain and pat dry.
To cook shrimp, add them to boiling water and cook for about three minutes until they are pink and have curled up. Rinse them in cold water and then cut them into thirds before adding them to the salad.
Toss all of the ingredients together with the salad dressing and serve.
