Name: Blue cheese, butternut & barley salad with maple walnuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 butternut squash peeled and cut into large chunks, seeds reserved; 2 red onions each cut into quarters; 3 garlic cloves peeled and bashed; 3 ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; handful thyme sprigs leaves stripped, plus extra to garnish; 300g pearl barley; 50g walnut roughly chopped; 1 ½ tbsp maple syrup; 1 tsp brown sugar; ½ tsp chilli flakes; 2 tsp balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 100g baby spinach shredded; 140g blue cheese thinly sliced

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Blue cheese, butternut & barley salad with maple walnuts

Blue cheese, butternut & barley salad with maple walnuts

James Martin

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Serves 6

Easy

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 45 mins

A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.16 ratingsRate

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Salads don't get much more robust than this – team roasted onions and squash, deep-flavoured cheese, crunchy nuts and healthier grains

Vegetarian

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

1 butternut squash

peeled and cut into large chunks, seeds reserved
2 red onions

each cut into quarters
3 garlic cloves

peeled and bashed
3 ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
handful thyme sprigs

leaves stripped, plus extra to garnish
300g pearl barley
50g walnut

roughly chopped
1 ½ tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
100g baby spinach

shredded
140g blue cheese

thinly sliced

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Nutrition: per serving

kcal479
fat22g
saturates7g
carbs57g
sugars12g
fibre3g
protein14g
salt0.7g

Method

step 1

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the squash, onions and garlic with 2 tbsp of the oil and some seasoning. Roast for 35-45 mins or until the vegetables crisp up in places – turning halfway through cooking and adding the thyme leaves. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, discarding the garlic. Cook the barley, following pack instructions, until al dente. Drain and cool.
step 2

Meanwhile, rinse the squash seeds, removing any flesh, and dry thoroughly. Put the walnuts and squash seeds in a frying pan and toast until golden brown. Add ½ tbsp oil, the maple syrup, sugar, chilli flakes and some salt. Let it bubble for a few mins, until the sugar has caramelised. Tip onto a tray, allow to cool, then bash into pieces. Make a dressing by mixing the balsamic, mustard, remaining oil and some seasoning.
step 3

Toss the squash and onions through the barley, followed by the spinach and dressing. Scatter over the cheese, nuts and some extra thyme sprigs to serve.

RECIPE TIPS

CHOOSE YOUR BLUE CHEESE

If you find blue cheeses a little overpowering, try using Wensleydale Blue. If you love a deeper tangy flavour, go for a Colston Bassett Stilton, Stichelton or Strathdon Blue.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, September 2013

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A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.16 ratings

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