Roasted butternut, broccoli and barley salad

Our salad of the week for this week is slightly different to our usual salad posts. Firstly because its base is barely rather than lettuce and secondly because it takes a bit longer than your ordinary salad. But in saying that there are a few tricks one can do to make this recipe a bit shorter. For example buying ready made sundried tomatoes, cooking the barley the day before or roasting the broccoli with the butternut.

Whichever way you choose to make it, this salad is absolutely delish and so rewarding. It’s also super-healthy, vegan and is even better the next day. It keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge and is great accompanied by a loaf of olive bread to soak up the leftover dressing.

 

 

Roast butternut, broccoli and barley salad

Serves 8

3 cups of butternut, peeled & cut into smallish pieces

2 tsp olive oil

Pinch of salt

20 rosemary leaves, bruised (optional)

250g pearl barley

300g broccoli, cut into florets, don’t discard the stems, trim and cut into sticks

100g sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated and sliced

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 cup toasted omega mix seeds (optional)

2 Tbsp small capers

15 black olives, pitted

½ Tbsp of fresh mint leaves, chopped

For the dressing

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp olive brine

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp whole grain mustard

1 tsp of sugar

1 garlic of clove, finely chopped

½ tsp of salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Pre heat the oven on grill. Place the butternut slices on a baking tray and toss with olive oil and rosemary and pinch of salt. Roast for 20 minutes, or until tender and browning.

Boil the barley for about 25 minutes in salted water until tender.

In a separate bowl big enough for the whole salad, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Drain the barley and add it to the dressing.  Mix well and allow it to cool.

Boil the broccoli in salted water for a few minutes. You want it still be firm. Drain and rinse in cold water to preserve the colour.

Add the broccoli, butternut and all the remaining ingredients to the barley and toss together before arranging it on a platter.