This salad combines sweet carrots with the liquorice bite of a slightly acidic dressing and creamy blue cheese – a simple lunch or side dish
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch of carrots, peeled and cut into diagonal slices (approx. 500g/1lb 2oz)
- 5 banana shallots, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 300g pearl barley
- small pack parsley, roughly chopped
- ½ small pack dill, roughly chopped
- 140g blue cheese, crumbled
- a few fennel tops or dill, to serve (optional)
For the dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- juice 1 lemon
Method
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Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the sliced carrots in a large roasting tin with the shallots, garlic and fennel seeds. Drizzle over the oil, toss everything together and season. Roast for 35-40 mins until everything has caramelised and the carrots are tender.
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Meanwhile, boil the pearl barley in a large pan of salted water until al dente, about 30 mins. Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together with some seasoning. Remove the carrots from the oven.
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Strain the pearl barley and toss through the dressing, carrots, dill, parsley and half the cheese. Finish with a few of the fennel tops and the remaining cheese. Serve warm or cold with a slice or two of warm buttered soda bread, if you like.