Cumin Scented Barley Food

CUMIN-SCENTED QUINOA AND BLACK RICE

Steps:

• Bring rice and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, 25-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine quinoa, bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return quinoa to hot saucepan. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf, fluff quinoa with a fork, and transfer to a large bowl.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add to quinoa. Add rice; mix well. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons oil, fresh lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut avocado into wedges. Serve salad with avocado and lemon wedges.

CUMIN-SCENTED BARLEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat oil and onions in an enamel or stainless-steel casserole until softened, about 10 minutes. Add barley and 1 tablespoon of butter, stirring until barley is coated. Add cumin and pepper and sauté until barley starts to crackle, about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and Madeira, bring to a boil, then cover. Cook in the oven until barley is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 45 minutes.
• Remove and stir in the rest of the butter, scallions, parsley, walnuts, raisins and salt to taste. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Serve with lamb.

CUMIN AND HONEY SCENTED LOIN LAMB CHOPS WITH EGGPLANT

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, canola oil, honey, cumin, and chili powder. In a rectangular pan, arrange the chops so they are in one layer, pour the marinade over the chops, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Allow the meat to marinate at least one hour and up to 6 hours, turning the meat over at least once.
• EGGPLANT: In a large bowl or rectangular glass dish, drizzle the eggplant slices with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the cumin and herbes de Provence. Season with salt and pepper.
• When ready to grill, prepare a charcoal or wood fire and allow it to burn down to ashes, or preheat a broiler if cooking indoors. Place the eggplant rounds on the grill and cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until slightly charred and tender. Remove from the grill and reseason with salt and pepper. (This may also be done on the stovetop, with a Teflon-coated grill pan.)
• Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper and place on the grill. Grill chops for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until medium rare. (This may also be done in the broiler.)
• To serve, place the eggplant slices on a large platter, overlapping in an oval. Place the lamb chops over the eggplant. To serve on individual plates, place 2 slices of eggplant on each plate and top with two lamb chops.
• Serve with your favorite grain salad, glazed carrots, haricots verts, or sliced tomatoes.

MARINATED CUMIN-SCENTED BUTTERFLIED PORK

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler or a grill. In a food processor or blender, process the cilantro or parsley, olive oil, lime juice, onion and cumin until smooth. With a sharp knife, make many shallow slashes across both surfaces of the pork. Pour half the cilantro mixture over the pork, spreading it evenly over the meat and working it into the slashes. Flip the pork over and repeat the procedure on the other side. If you have time, let the pork marinate to pick up flavors. Otherwise, place it on a broiler pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil 3 inches from the heat source for 10 minutes. Flip the meat over and broil until cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Remove pork from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes. Thinly slice the pork across the grain and serve with pan juices delicious warm or at room temperature; great in salads too.

CUMIN SCENTED LAMB CHOPS WITH SWEET POTATO MASH

Steps:

• Mix together the garlic, olive oil, cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin and lemon juice. Trim off any excess fat from the chops, season with salt and pepper and place on a plate. Brush all over with the oil mixture and let sit for half an hour if possible, but not necessary.
• Peel and cut the white potatoes into chunks, placing in a pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. In the meantime peel the sweet potatoes and cut into chunks. Add to the white potatoes and cook for 10 minutes more until tender.
• meanwhile put the chops under a medium hot grill and grill for about 5 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.
• Heat the butter with the chili flakes in a small frying pan, add the onions and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Drain the potatoes and return to the pan, break up with a fork and add the onion mixture. Keep the texture chunky. Season if needed.
• Serve the lamb chops with the potatoes.

CUMIN-SCENTED WHEAT BERRY-LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• PREPARE THE WHEAT BERRIES IN ADVANCE (makes ~2 1/4 cups) -
• Sort through wheat berries carefully, discarding any stones. Rinse well under cool running water. Place in a large heavy saucepan. Add water and salt.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse.
• PREPARE THE SOUP (makes about 6, 1 2/3 cup servings) -
• Combine lentils, broth and water in a dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover and simmer gently until the lentils are tender, but not mushy, 25 to 30 minutes (brown lentils take a little longer to cook than green).
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat.
• When lentils are tender, stir cooked wheat berries and chard into the pot. Cover and simmer until the chard has wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrot mixture and lemon juice.
• Serve with warm crusty bread.

CUMIN-SCENTED HERBED RICE

Steps:

• Wash rice in several changes of cold water in a bowl until water runs clear and drain well in a sieve.
• Toast cumin seeds in oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until a shade darker, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir rice into cumin. Stir in broth and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and cover pan, then simmer gently until rice is tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
• Fluff rice with a fork and let stand, covered, off heat up to 10 minutes. When ready to serve, stir in scallions and cilantro.

CUMIN SCENTED BULGUR PILAF

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add onions and peppers and increase heat to medium high and cook until onions begin to turn brown around the edges, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in orzo and bulgur and cook about a minute, while stirring.
• Add broth and tomato juice.
• Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and basil.
• Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until bulgur is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in water if bulgur becomes too dry or cook a few minutes, with the cover off, if bulgur is too wet.