Mediterranean Barley Vegetable Stew

This is in several newspapers this week; putting here for safe keeping until I have time to actually make it. The castelvetrano olives are described as brightly colored, buttery in flavor, and less salty than other green olives. If you substitute, be careful with the sodium content in other ingredients. The recipe in our paper calls for mincing the rosemary sprigs. My preference is to put them in stews whole and remove them before serving.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  shallots, finely chopped
• 2  medium yellow onions, diced
• 28  ounces diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 4  cups vegetable broth
• 2  sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 1⁄2 cups pearl barley
• 12  ounces  roasted red peppers, drained and cut into strips
• 5  ounces fresh spinach
• 1⁄2 cup  castelvetrano  olive, pitted and sliced
• 1  cup water
•  salt, to taste
•  fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil.
2. Saute garlic, shallots, and onions until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, broth, rosemary and barley.
4. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until barley is tender, about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in the roasted red peppers, spinach, olives, and water.
6. Cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
7. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
8. Remove rosemary sprigs before serving.