Lemon Barley Water
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup pearl barley
- 2 medium lemons, zested and juiced
- 6 cups water
- 1/2 cup honey
Steps
Place the barley in a sieve and rinse under cold water until water runs clear.
Place barley in a 2-quart saucepan with grated lemon zest and 6 cups of water.
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain mixture into a heatproof bowl. Reserve the barley for another use.
Add honey to the bowl and stir to dissolve.
Stir in lemon juice and serve hot or then let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Pour into bottles and refrigerate until chilled. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Don't toss that barley! With a little more cooking, the grain can be used in a variety of applications:
The barley will only be partially cooked after making barley water. Pearl barley needs to simmer for at least 30 minutes (and up to an hour) in a 2:1 ratio of water or broth to grain. The barley is done cooking when it is tender with a bite, like al dente pasta, but not hard.
Use barley in salads or pilafs, as a hearty grain in soups and stews, or as a grain base and pile vegetables, meat, herbs, and sauces on top.