DONNY’S BURLY BARLEY: SALAD GRINDS & BEAN PLANTS #54
Donny’s Burly Barley
(Barley and Black Beans)
WORDS: Johnny Lozano
How I went this long without thinking of this pun, I’ll never know. Hell, how I haven’t just recognized Donny Barley by now is a mystery. In my mind, the list of people allowed to do pop shove-its aggressively (i.e., on, down, over or into something) is very short: Stevie Williams, Tiago Lemos, Josh Kasper and the East Coast powerhouse, Donny Barley.
And maybe only Barley does them at mach-5 in all stances (followed up by the most masterful switch hardflip in the game).
If you haven’t enjoyed the art of Barley’s skating, it’s best to familiarize yourself with him by watching Welcome to Hell, Underachievers, and Zoo York State of Mind, for starters (then sprinkle his litany of tour and Tampa footage on top). If you’re not wowed by style and grace, then my guess is you’re impressed by slappies—and only slappies.
While few skaters have the honor of having a trick named after them, Barley’s legacy doesn’t end with the Barley grind; though he may no longer be putting out full parts, he remains in skateboarding and is helping people repurpose their old boards as cruisers alongside Brandon Westgate with No Board Left Behind. It’s clear that Barley’s not done with skateboarding, and vice versa.
In honor of Barley’s burliness, this week’s recipe is some burly barley. Here’s the bad news: if you have a gluten allergy, barley is not for you. While you can find things like gluten-free oats, it will be a little harder to get your hands on some gluten-free barley. Not ruling it out, but if an Austin, Texas Whole Foods doesn’t carry it, you’ll have to do some searching.
If you can have gluten, however, barley is an excellent oat-like grain that is full of fiber, protein, selenium, B vitamins, and magnesium. When cooked, it takes on almost a fluffy texture (think miniature pieces of wheat-like gnocchi) and is incredibly filling after a long skate session. Toss it in with some veggies, black beans and spices, and you’ve got a quick, filling dish fit for a legend.
INGREDIENTS (serves 4-6):
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 yellow onion (diced)
- ½ cup carrot matchsticks
- 2 tsp. oregano
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 3-4 cloves (or 1 tbsp.) garlic (minced)
- 1 tomato (diced)
- 1 orange bell pepper (diced)
- 1 cup (dry) pearled barley
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans (drained)
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil and then toss in the onions. Cook for a few minutes until they are fragrant, then toss in the carrots, oregano, chili powder, cumin and garlic and cook for a few more minutes, letting the spices warm up and add to the intoxicating aroma.
- Once your kitchen is smelling like delicious spices, throw in the tomato, bell pepper and barley and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the barley starts to get just a little toasted. Once that happens, toss in the broth, salt and pepper and bring it to a boil, then down to a low-heat simmer. Do NOT cover.
- Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. Once the water is gone, add the black beans and stir to mix it all up. Remove from heat, add any additional seasoning to taste and then chow down. This dish is perfect as a side OR a stand-alone meal.
- Go learn some shoves and switch hardflips from the master.
Happy shredding,
Johnny
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