Ingredients Grains Barley Lemony Barley Salad with Kale Pesto 5.0 (1) 1 Review Kale does double duty here: Some of the leaves are pureed with lemon juice and olive oil for a phenomenal pesto, and some of them are torn into pieces that are stirred into the cooked barley at the end. Slideshow: Kale Recipes By Jessica Koslow Jessica Koslow Restaurant: Sqirl (Read a review) Location: Los Angeles Why She's Amazing: Because her sought-after jams and pickles—made with rare heirloom varieties—have transformed the way we think about preserves. And she now features them in dishes—savory and sweet—at her terrific East Hollywood café. Culinary School: Self-taught background: Abattoir, Bacchanalia, Star Provisions (/sites/default/files/tlanta) Quintessential Dish: Kokuho Rose brown rice with sorrel pesto, preserved Meyer lemon, black radish, sheep milk feta and a poached egg Previous Studies: Koslow has an MA in communications, culture and technology from Georgetown University. Former Career: Television producer. She worked on American Idol on Fox. Childhood Treat: "When I was 10, Fridays in the summer were just the best. An ice cream truck circled the neighborhood, and Friday was the one day I was allowed to order a treat. The Creamsicle was the go-to, and it still is. The Blood Orange and Vanilla Bean Marmalade is the Sqirl version of that childhood memory." DIY Champion: Koslow teaches monthly canning classes at the café, and hopes to create a community center dedicated to the craft of preservation. For now, find information about her classes at sqirlla.com. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 1, 2014 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Con Poulos Total Time: 35 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients 1 cup pearled barley (about 8 ounces) 2 tablespoons pine nuts 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup currants 1 tablespoon minced shallot 6 ounces kale, stems discarded and leaves torn into small pieces (4 cups) 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Kosher salt 2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon (optional) Directions In a medium saucepan, cook the barley in salted boiling water until al dente, 30 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Let cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the pine nuts over low heat, stirring, until lightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes. In a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the currants and shallot and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the shallot is golden, about 3 minutes. Scrape into the barley and add the pine nuts. In a food processor, pulse two-thirds of the kale with the lemon juice until chopped. With the machine on, slowly drizzle in the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil until smooth. Season with salt. Scrape the pesto into the barley. Add the preserved lemon, if using, and the remaining kale leaves, season with salt and toss well. Serve. Rate it Print