Carrot, Lemon, Roasted Tomato and Barley Salad

Ingredients

• 210 g barley
• 11 cloves, unpeeled
• 50 g olive, halved
• 1 oregano
• 1 lemon, half juiced for 1 tbsp)
• 90 ml olive oil, plus 1 tsp
• 500 g carrot, scrubbed and halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise
• 20 g basil, torn
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 15 g parsley, roughly chopped
• 300 g tomato, finely diced
• 2 red onions, cut into 8 wedges each (300g)
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 1 caraway seed
• asparagus
• sea salt

Method

1. Rinse the pearl barley under cold water until it runs clear, then tip into a medium saucepan and cover with water by about 5 cm. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, then simmer for 50–60 minutes until tender with a little chew. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Heat the oven to 220°C. On a large baking tray, scatter the tomatoes, red onion wedges, unpeeled garlic cloves, halved olives, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, oregano and lemon slices. Pour over the 90 ml olive oil and add ½ tsp sea salt. Toss to coat.
3. Roast for 20 minutes, until the onions are softened with caramelised edges and the tomatoes have slumped into the oil.
4. Meanwhile, set a griddle pan over high heat until smoking. Toss the carrots with 1 tsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Griddle for around 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred in stripes and tender through. Tip into a large mixing bowl.
5. When the tray comes out of the oven, transfer everything to the bowl with the carrots. Squeeze the soft roasted garlic from its skins into the bowl and discard the papery husks.
6. Add the torn basil, maple syrup and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Toss gently so the carrots take on the warm tomato dressing without breaking up.
7. In a separate bowl, fork the cooled barley together with the chopped parsley and 1 tbsp olive oil, seasoning with salt to taste.
8. Spread the barley across a large serving platter and pile the warm roasted vegetables and carrots over the top, scraping every drop of pan juice from the bowl. Serve immediately.