So when it comes to warm weather, I'm a coward in the kitchen. Last week we had record-breaking heat, and I didn't make anything more elaborate than iced tea. A pity, I know, but when the apartment is registering 100 degrees, it's hard to motivate oneself to do much of anything.
This week the weather is back to normal and to celebrate I tried something new: chorizo and barley. Hmmm, a strange combination, I know. Summer to me cries out for salads, pilafs and grilling. Anything beyond that is rather exotic for hot weather. This dish falls under the "pilaf" category. My intention was to make sausage and peppers over barley, but the majority of my peppers seemed not to survive the heat wave. Left with only one orange bell, I had to improvise. So, I combined onions, garlic, the bell pepper and broccoli with the chorizo, then tossed it with the barley.
A note concerning the chorizo. This was purchased at Whole Foods Market, and is really a nice chorizo. I discovered the magic of Whole Foods Maket meat last month and cannot be happier with it. Even "inferior" cuts of meat are amazing when purchased there. The price always makes me cringe, but when I bite into it, it all seems worth it. I don't usually have good things to say about non-stick pans, but when I combined the two, no oil was needed and the excess fat was easily discarded. The chorizo definitely made this dish. The only seasoning I added was salt to the veggies.
In retrospect, this was a good idea but needs some consideration. Item one: read directions before cooking barley in a rice cooker. It's not the same as cooking rice, even though they are the same shape. I did manage to get the barley to a toasted consistency (I'll not say it was burnt because I rescued it before it got to that point). I also failed to season the barley, which is a carnal rule (SEASON EVERYTHING!) and I'm ashamed that I forgot. Also, this would have been better with more peppers and fresh broccoli. I give this spontaneous dish a "B".
On my way home from work today I stopped by the local farmer's market and had a look around. What a dismal experience! I used to love farmers' markets in the summer, but now I think I probably won't go back until the fall. Everywhere I looked, it was tomatoes and corn and lettuce. Two of my lost loves and one hated. True, I can enjoy a tomato from time to time, but I'm wary about paying $$$$ for a tomato and then find out that I'm too sensitive to enjoy it that day. Case and point: the half of a tomato that's been sitting in the refrigerator for the past 10 days. Staring at the mounds of corn made me think of last summer, when I was still able to live in ignorance and enjoy corn salad. Corn, black beans, mango and grape tomatoes: lovely combination. Add some grilled chicken and lime sauce and my meal is complete.
Well, c'est la vie. No use dwelling on the past. Now that I can return to the kitchen, I need to use up the rest of the produce that's salvageable and come up with some good dishes for the week. Enough with take-out! I will make them forget my voice, if not my phone number. Though I do thank them for staying open through such a horrible period.
And my apologies that there are no photos this time around; the battery on my camera died at the last minute. Oh technology...
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