Beet and Barley Salad With Date-Citrus Vinaigrette

Traditionally a fall salad meant for Rosh Hashana, but translates incredibly well into a spring salad. We’ve altered this recipe slightly to be more seasonally appropriate for springtime by removing the cucumber and pomegranate. Bitter and tart greens, like arugula, crunchy romaine and celery, pair well with shallots or red onion, dates, dried figs, a handful of multicolored olives. The cooked barley adds chew, but you could use lentils or chickpeas instead for more protein. If you can find them, heirloom varieties of barley add wonderful nutty complexity. Beets — used in ancient times more for the leaves than the roots — lend color and sweetness.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium beets, scrubbed

• ½ cup pearl barley

• Salt & pepper

• 1 lemon

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 teaspoons date syrup

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 4 handfuls of mixed slightly bitter lettuce, such as chicory, arugula, romaine, Swiss chard and/or beet leaves, roughly torn

• 1 cup fresh mixed herbs, such as mint, thyme, oregano, parsley, hyssop, lovage and/or cilantro

• 2 celery stalks, cut down the center and diced in 1/2-inch pieces

• 2 large shallots or 1/2 red onion, diced in 1/2-inch pieces (see Tip)

• 5 dried figs or 4 fresh figs, quartered

• 1 cup mixed pitted olives, halved

• ½ cup crumbled feta

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap the beets individually in foil. Bake until tender when pierced with a fork, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (very dependent on size). When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut into bite-size pieces.

2. While the beets are roasting, make the barley: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the barley and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until al dente.

3. While the barley is cooking, make the salad dressing: Squeeze the juice from the lemon (about 2 tablespoons) into a small bowl. Add the garlic and date syrup, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the olive oil and set aside **

4. When the barley is cooked, drain, rinse and drain again. Taste, adding more salt, if necessary, and let cool completely.

5. When ready to serve, use your hands to gently mix the lettuce and herbs in a large salad bowl and scatter on the barley, beets, celery, shallots, and figs. Top with the olives and feta, and sprinkle on the dressing. Mix at the table and serve immediately.

**If you’d like to cut the sharpness of the shallot, let it soak in the mixed dressing for 5 minutes.

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Recipe Source: New York Times Cooking