Warm pearl barley & roasted carrot salad with dill vinaigrette recipe | Good Food

Warm pearl barley & roasted carrot salad with dill vinaigrette

1 large bunch of carrots
peeled and cut into diagonal slices (approx. 500g/1lb 2oz)
5 banana shallots
quartered
4 garlic cloves
lightly crushed
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp olive oil
300g pearl barley
small pack parsley
roughly chopped
½ small pack dill
roughly chopped
140g blue cheese
crumbled
a few fennel
tops or dill, to serve (optional)

For the dressing

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
juice 1 lemon

Method

step 1
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the sliced carrots in a large roasting tin with the shallots, garlic and fennel seeds. Drizzle over the oil, toss everything together and season. Roast for 35-40 mins until everything has caramelised and the carrots are tender.
step 2
Meanwhile, boil the pearl barley in a large pan of salted water until al dente, about 30 mins. Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together with some seasoning. Remove the carrots from the oven.
step 3
Strain the pearl barley and toss through the dressing, carrots, dill, parsley and half the cheese. Finish with a few of the fennel tops and the remaining cheese. Serve warm or cold with a slice or two of warm buttered soda bread, if you like.