French Fridays with Dorie: (sort of) lemon barley pilaf

Ok, ok, sorry. Another French Fridays with Dorie recipe that I seem to have freestyled. It was supposed to be Lemon Barley Pilaf (p 383) which I was pretty happy about but the day I came to cook it, I realised I had a lovely box of  wheat grains (wheat berries, couscous and bulgur wheat) that I picked up a couple of weeks ago – it’s one of my “go to” foods here in Paris – quick and easy to prepare and add vegetables or meat as you please. Why buy a package of pearl barley when you have something that sounds like it would go beautifully with the other ingredients?  I thought the fluffy yellow grains would match the lemon perfectly…

If you read my FFWD post last week (when I also didn’t follow the recipe. Ahem) you’ll have seen this underneath the tapenade stuffed chicken. It went beautifully. Flavour and colour-wise. So much so that I have made it again, twice, since I originally trialled it.

Next time I promise I will make this with pearl barley. Maybe. Loved these flavours and what a versatile dish.

French Fridays with Dorie participants do not publish the recipes on our blogs, rather, we prefer if you purchase Around My French Table for yourselves (trust me, you definitely want this book!) which you can do here on Amazon or Amazon Canada. Or for free worldwide shipping, buy from The Book Depository. Go on, treat yourself – join us! I have not missed a week since October 2010 and the recipes that I didn’t like I can count on one hand.

French Friday links:

Can’t join me in Paris this summer? How about “Un après midi à Paris” – a new class I will be teaching at Aprhrodite Cooks this coming October? Join me for a sweet afternoon learning the secrets to some classic French desserts: the elusive macaron, profiteroles, tarte au citron, madeleines and mendiants. We’ll be making “petit four” sizes of each in a hands on class and participants will leave with a box of the class’s creations. After the class you will receive recipes to help you recreate your Parisian treats at home. Refreshments of tea and coffee and infused waters enjoyed throughout the afternoon. Click to book your spot for this exciting new class on Saturday October 13th 2012.

I’m also thrilled to be teaching my first macaron class at Aphrodite Cooks in November – Macarons: Simple comme Bonjour! “Simple comme bonjour” means “as easy as A, B, C” and really, macarons are not as difficult as everyone makes them out to be. Spend the afternoon in a hands-on class, learning the secrets of this temperamental, yet exquisite French delicacy – you’ll leave with some of your creations and a new found confidence (and recipes!) to tackle the cookie with the bad reputation all by yourself at home! Refreshments and snacks will be served. Click to book your spot in this new macaron class on Saturday November 3rd 2012.

Read my latest articles on Food Network Canada: Spotlight on Paris markets, Seven must-visit destinations in Burgundy and Eating, drinking and learning at Ô Chateau, Paris.

Follow my French travels on Flickr this summer with my Summer 2012 set of photos – updated regularly!

 

 

36 thoughts on “French Fridays with Dorie: (sort of) lemon barley pilaf”

  1. I hope to be giving the macaron a shot soon! I think we’ve all made variations of this week’s dish many times. I adore bulgur wheat for this type of thing but never used barley before. I hope you do get to it as it added a new slant on this that I liked a lot.

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  2. I love those boxes of mixed grains, too, and this looks like a perfect variation.

    P.S. What exciting news about your new cooking classes this fall!

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  3. This looks so good, and I’m always on the lookout for a new type of grain to serve with dinner. Thanks!!

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  4. The dish looks great so it works with other grains perfectly! Great recipes you´ll be teaching. Have a good weekend!

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  5. I’m sorry, I’m too distracted by the thought of a macaron class to comment about wheat grains. haha! Ummm…YUM. I need to get my butt back to Paris, then park it in Laduree, asap.

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  6. I think the departure I made will make yours look like the original by comparison – I think you are safe 🙂
    Multi grain, barley – it’s all good!

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  7. Absolutely delicious looking pilaf using those wheat grains. Just finished reading your info
    about O Chateau and Marché Saint Eustache, very informative. Tricia and I are heading to
    Paris in late October and this will give us something else to explore.

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  8. Yum, bulgur wheat is one of my favorites, especially in Tabbouleh so I know your adaptation here is a winner. I haven’t done mine yet but your post has given me many ideas for an alternative to barley. As for Paris, I wish I can just hop over on a plane and join your cooking classes. It sounds great fun!

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  9. Looks delicious and I agree that it is very versatile. So many things you could do with this dish. I’m always looking for new ways to get my whole grains so I really enjoyed this one.

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  10. You know how I feel about the improvising (although with me it’s not a choice, but rather a pathology) and yours looks beautiful. Pearl Bailey would be proud. Sorry; can’t read pearl barley without thinking of her. I just did it at Per Se this past week.

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  11. I think Trader Joe’s, right here in the USA, sells a multi-grain box that is very nice also. It ain’t Paris but it’s the commonality that matters, n’est-ce pas? You’re in France. You can cook anything you damn well please as far as I am concerned. Keep enjoying yourself and having fun for all we Doristas who cannot be there with you.

    Reply

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