Lemony Spring Vegetable and Barley Bowl

This one-pot dish from chef Carla Hall is basically spring in a bowl, bursting with fresh asparagus, tender green peas, lemon, and mint. It’s important to buy pearl barley for this recipe: Compared to whole grain hulled barley, which is chewy and requires lots of cooking liquid, the pearl barley used here cooks in less time and results in a creamier texture (think arborio rice). Another quick-cooking grain like pearled farro would also work well here. Making Hall’s Fennel Potlikker is a crucial first step here, so be sure to read through that recipe first.