Kale with pearl barley and caramelized onions

It won’t win any beauty contests, but I promise, this Yotam Ottolenghi inspired recipe offers a rich and beautiful bowl of healthy goodness that can serve as a side with grilled chicken or as a lunch bowl topped with yogurt or hard boiled egg.

The trick with this dish is to cook it low and slow and be generous with the pomegranate molasses so you get a tangy counterpoint to the kale.

Ingredients

  • Two bunches of kale (or Swiss chard)
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 3 c. of a mix of onions: leeks, shallots, Vidalias, yellow
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp. pomegranate molasses
  • 1 1/4 c. pearl barley
  • 2 c. chicken broth
  • Salt and pepper

Guidelines

  • Rinse the greens and chop coarsely
  • In a large cast-iron skillet melt the butter with the olive oil
  • Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes
  • Add the greens and cook for 3 minutes
  • Add the sugar, pomegranate molasses, and barley and mix
  • Add the stock, 1 tsp. salt and pepper and bring it to a simmer
  • Cover (I used the top of my stockpot, but you could also cover tightly with foil)
  • Cook over very low heat for 60-70 minutes
  • Uncover and test the barley (it will probably be quite chewy)
  • Continue to simmer with the pan uncovered until all the liquid is absorbed
  • Mix sparingly as you want the onions to caramelize on the bottom of the pan
  • Add pomegranate molasses and salt and pepper to taste