Serves 2
Prep time 40 minutes
Ingredients
250g dry or 1 cup wholegrain barley (or substitute with pearl barley)
2 cups of water
For the roast veg
2 large marrows
1 or 2 yellow bell peppers
1 tbsp. of olive oil
¼ tsp. salt
Dash of fresh black pepper
For the raw ingredients
800g chopped melon or half a large melon (cantaloupe, honeydew or a mixture of both)
Handful of cherry tomatoes
Few chopped mint leaves
For the hummus
200g cooked chickpeas (best results with fresh but canned are fine)
1½ tbsp. hulled tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove of garlic
Juice of half a lemon
Dash of cumin
Salt to taste
Method
Start by boiling the 2 cups of water on high heat and adding the barley – wholegrain barley takes around 40 minutes to cook whilst pearl barley would take around 15 minutes. While the barley is cooking, chop up the veg in a mixing bowl and add the salt, pepper and olive oil making sure to evenly distribute the condiments on everything.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roast at 180°C for around 30 minutes. Once they are cooked let them cool down.
Next add all the hummus ingredients to a high-speed blender and pulse to create a creamy texture (add some more water or oil if it is too dry for your taste)
Mix the barley, raw ingredients and roasted veg in a bowl and store them in the fridge for a couple of hours – since this is a summer salad, it is best served cold.
Serve with some hummus, a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
