Straight from the Earth

WHITE BEAN, BUTTERNUT SQUASH, and BARLEY STEW with WHOLE-WHEAT BISCUITS

Have you ever noticed that a great meal somehow tastes even more delicious when you know it’s especially healthy? That’s a bonus for this hearty stew, where chewy barley, earthy chard, sweet parsnips, creamy butternut squash, and delicious white beans blend into a combination that is dense in flavor and in health benefits. I use hulled barley because it is the least processed and has the best nutrition, but pearled barley will work just fine. This stew feels like a decadent treat when served with flaky Whole-Wheat Biscuits (facing page). They are easy to make, but warm, toasted, crusty whole-wheat bread makes a good stand-in served with a bowl of good-quality olive oil sprinkled with a little sea salt for dipping. —MYRA

Serves 6

1 cup/200 g hulled barley, rinsed

6 cups/1.4 L Easy Vegetable Stock (page 76) or low-sodium vegetable stock

3 tbsp olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, medium dice

2 medium parsnips, medium dice

3 cups/420 g peeled medium-dice butternut squash

2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

Freshly ground black pepper

1¹/₂ cups/255 g cooked cannellini beans (rinsed and drained if canned)

Salt

6 cups/180 g sliced rainbow or Swiss chard, stems thinly sliced, leaves medium sliced

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Whole-Wheat Biscuits (facing page)

Put the barley in a medium saucepan and add 3 cups/720 ml of the stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, covered, for 40 minutes.

While the barley cooks, put the oil in a 6-qt/5.7-L pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the parsnips and squash and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and oregano, and season with pepper, then cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 3 cups/720 ml of the stock, the cooked barley, beans, and 1 tsp salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, covered, for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the chard, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes. You can add up to 1 cup/240 ml hot water in ¹/₄-cup/60-ml increments if there isn’t enough liquid to keep the stew simmering.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with biscuits.