Greek Barley Salad (aka My new favorite way to make arugula)

Arugula has always been hard for me, because we get big bunches of it, more than enough for a salad for two, but it's really too strong to have on its own unless it's perfectly fresh and perfectly spicy (i.e., not quite as spicy as the stuff we usually get). So it glares balefully from the fridge at me each night until around Sunday or Monday, when it starts to glare morosely and look jaundiced and there's nothing to be done but chop it up with the rest of the orphaned greens and have the usual Tuesday night soup. And that's a shame, because I love arugula. For this salad I wanted something that would use fresh arugula well without either souping it or leaving it nakedly fresh. A quick saute with garlic might work, except that it's boring and this arugula is slightly too bitter to stand alone. But match it with some nice sweet barley, and it's great.

1 bunch fresh arugula, washed and thick stems removed
1 cup pearl barley
2 cups water or vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt

Cook the barley in the water or stock. Mix together one (minced) clove garlic and the following five ingredients in a bowl. Throw the barley in and toss it around until coated. Very briefly, saute the other clove of garlic (also minced) with the arugula until the greens have just barely wilted, then add to the barley mixture. Dish out and top with:

1/3 cup diced feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped olives
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped salami
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 avocado, cubed

Tamagoyaki

This was an excellent, quick, healthy dinner that tasted yummy:

For tamagoyaki:
4 eggs
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp mirin or rice wine or white wine
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soy sauce

Mix everything together with a fork in a bowl, but do not beat air into the mixture. Heat a small saute pan and brush lightly with the end of a stick of butter. Pour in two or three tablespoons of egg mixture and cook until almost done, tear off a piece of nori and throw it on there, then roll up and off to one side with a spatula. Add two more tablespoons and repeat until mixture is all gone, then tip the roll of egg out onto a sushi mat and roll it up tightly for a few minutes.

For noodle salad:
Simmer a couple packs of soba noodles for 4 minutes or until done, then drain.
Saute together a green onion or two, some garlic, 3/4 tsp ginger or so, and a bunch of shredded carrot. Then add a pile of chopped broccoli or romanesco and a splash of white wine to steam it with, and cover. Toward the end, add some spinach and saute until wilted. Throw in about a tablespoon of miso and a tablespoon of soy sauce.

To serve, dish out the noodles, top with vegetable mix, then add slices of tamagoyaki.