Easy Side

Big grain salad

Name: Grain salad recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 300g pearl barley; 2 large onions, thinly sliced; 1 tsp caraway seeds; 1/2 tsp dill seeds; 1/2 tsp dried tarragon; 50g almond; 250.00 ml torn mixed herb leaves (we used coriander and mint); Finely grated zest of 1 lemon; 60ml olive oil; 35g currants; 60ml sherry vinegar; 2 tsp caster sugar; 40.00 ml finely chopped tarragon; 3 garlic cloves, crushed

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by Alex Elliott-Howery and Jaimee Edwards

Writers

Sep 05, 2024

“A grain salad is healthy and filling, and you can use this and that from the fridge. Grain salads are great to have under your arm when arriving at a barbecue, they make perfect dinners on hot summer nights, and the leftovers for lunch are nothing to turn your nose up at. Add pumpkin and feta to your grain salad and make like the 1990s - why the hell not? This salad works just as well with other grains, so don’t go to the shops, use up the packet in the pantry you’re sick of staring at!" - Alex Elliott-Howery and Jaimee Edwards

Recipe note: The trick to this salad is making a flavour base with spiced onions. The onions bring a complementary texture to the grains as well as all the flavour, so you don’t need to make much of a dressing.

This recipe is by Alex Elliott-Howery and Jaimee Edwards from Cornersmith

1 1/2 cups (300g) pearl barley
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp dill seeds
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 cup (50g) flaked natural almonds, toasted (or any other nut you have)
1 cup torn mixed herb leaves (we used coriander and mint)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Dressing

1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbs extra
1/4 cup (35g) dried currants
1/4 cup (60ml) sherry vinegar
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tbs finely chopped tarragon
3 garlic cloves, crushed

Method

1.

Cook barley in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water for 40 minutes, or until tender, but still with some bite. Drain, cool under cold running water, then drain well.
2.

Meanwhile, to make the dressing, place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Season to taste.
3.

Heat extra oil in a medium frypan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until starting to caramelise. Add caraway, dill seeds, tarragon and nuts, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant.
4.

Transfer to a large bowl with the barley, half the herbs and half the dressing. Season to taste and toss to combine.
5.

Transfer to a large platter, scatter with lemon zest and remaining herbs and drizzle with remaining dressing to serve.