Ingredients

Preparation 15 minutes, cooking time 30 minutes or more

1 cup barley, brown rice, wheat berries or bulgur (see note)
8 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma
6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
3/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions (scallions), including some of the green portion
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in thin shavings (see note) or coarsely grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Basil sprigs (optional)

Directions

Cook barley or other whole grain according to package directions until tender. Allow to cool to warm or room temperature (or to speed up preparation time, rinse with cool water and drain). Place in a large bowl.

While the barley or other grains are cooking, cut enough prosciutto in 1-inch-wide strips to make 1/2 cup; reserve the remaining slices. In a large bowl, combine ham strips, tomatoes, bell pepper, green onions, basil, 1/2 cup of the cheese shavings, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add barley or grains; toss to combine.

To serve: On the side of each plate, arrange reserved prosciutto slices in a fan shape. Spoon salad in the center of the plate, dividing equally among plates. Scatter the remaining 1 cup cheese shavings over the salad. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired. The salad may be served still slightly warm or at room temperature, as desired.

Makes 6 side-dish servings, or 3 or 4 main dish servings (total about 4 cups).

Note: Cooking time will range from about 30 minutes for barley and 40 minutes for brown rice to 1 hour or more for wheat berries. Whole grains that cook in 20 minutes or less include bulgur and instant brown rice.

To make cheese shavings, pull a vegetable peeler across the surface of a Parmigiano-Reggiano wedge.

Nutrition information per side-dish serving: 349 cal., 25 gm pro., 27 gm carbo., 16 gm fat.