Moroccan Chickpea Barley Salad

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups barley
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or veggie broth
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas , rinsed and strained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked
• 1 cup shelled pistachio nuts
• 1 cup diced dried apricots
• 2-3 chopped green onions or scallions
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• Zest and juice of a lemon
• 1 tablespoon of ras el hanout spice mix*
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Directions

1. Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Stir in the barley and let it sauté for 3-4 minutes, moving it around often so it toasts evenly.
2. Pour in the broth and water, then add a teaspoon of salt. Bring everything to a simmer and cook until the barley is tender, which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the age of your barley.
3. Drain the cooked barley in a colander or sieve, then rinse it with cold water to cool it down quickly. Toss it around in the colander to shake off as much water as you can. Spread the barley out on a sheet pan, drizzle it with olive oil, and mix until it’s nicely coated. Set it aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, pistachios, apricots, green onions and parsley, and give everything a good mix. Add the lemon zest and juice, then stir again.
5. Add the barley to the bowl and mix it through. Sprinkle the ras el hanout spice mixture over the salad and stir well so it’s evenly distributed. Taste, and add salt if it needs it.
6. Let the salad sit and marinate for an hour or so before serving. If the barley has soaked up all the olive oil, drizzle a little more over the top right before serving.