A lovely plate for sunny days. Pearl barley, goat’s cheese and basil salad on a swoop of roast pepper and butter bean puree.

iNGREDIENTS

Makes 4 portions
180g pearl barley
3 red peppers, halved with seeds, stalk and white parts removed
4 cloves garlic (in their skins)
A few sprigs thyme
700g jar butter beans, drained
2 tbsp white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
20g basil leaves, washed, have roughly torn
salt and pepper
1 tbsp tahini
olive oil

Looking for substitutions?

Swap the goat’s cheese for feta
Sub the butter beans for other white beans or chickpeas
Swap the pearl barley for millet if you want to go gluten free
Just leave out the goat’s cheese or replace with a plant-based alternative to keep it vegan
Swap the tahini for almond butter or sunflower seed butter

RECIPE

1. Heat the oven to 200c fan. Place the peppers and garlic on a large baking tray, drizzle with oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Roast until tender and lightly golden – around 25-30 mins, then set aside to cool
2. Meanwhile cook the barley. Rinse in a colander with cold water, then place in a large pot well covered with cold, salted water. Bring to a simmer, then cook until tender (around 30 mins) and drain
3. In a blender place half the roast peppers, the garlic squeezed from their skins, half of the torn basil and the tahini. Blitz until smooth and season to taste
4. Chop the remaining peppers into thick strips -pull off and skins if you like (optional). Mix together the pearl barley, vinegar, remaining butter beans, remainig torn basil, olive oil, goat’s cheese and season to taste
5. Spoon the bean puree into a serving plates and top with with barley salad. Garnish with the whole basil leaves

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