Name: Warm slow-roasted lamb, barley and carrot salad with yogurt
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 145 min
Total time: 160 min
Yield: 4 or 8 as a side
Ingredients: 2 lamb shanks; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp dried mint; 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil; Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season; ¼ cup water; 1 bunch Dutch carrots, trimmed; ¼ cup sultanas; 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar; 1 cup McKenzie’s SuperBlend Energy Pearl & Black Barley; 3 cups chicken stock; 1 cup mint leaves; 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves; ¼ cup natural almonds, toasted, roughly chopped; 2 cups baby spinach, leaves roughly chopped; ½ cup Greek-style yoghurt; Micro herbs, to garnish

Barley isn’t only for soups. Its delightful nutty flavour brings hearty balance to salads, too. Combined with slow-roasted lamb and carrot, you’ve got yourself a well-rounded, hearty dinner.

Ingredients

2 lamb shanks

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp dried mint

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season

¼ cup water

1 bunch Dutch carrots, trimmed

¼ cup sultanas

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 cup McKenzie’s SuperBlend Energy Pearl & Black Barley

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup mint leaves

1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

¼ cup natural almonds, toasted, roughly chopped

2 cups baby spinach, leaves roughly chopped

½ cup Greek-style yoghurt

Micro herbs, to garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 160ºC. Put lamb in a roasting pan. Top with garlic, cumin, dried mint and 2 Tbsp of the oil, then rub mixture well into lamb to coat. Season. Pour water into roasting pan and cover tightly with foil. Roast for 2 hours.

Add carrots, then roast covered for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to remove lamb from bone. Then chop lamb roughly or shred. Cover lamb and carrots with foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, put sultanas and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside. Put barley and chicken stock into a large saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and cover with lid.

Simmer for 25 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid has been absorbed. Season. Set aside until cooled but still warm.

Transfer warm barley to a large bowl and add mint leaves, parsley, almonds, spinach and remaining oil. Toss well to combine. Add lamb and toss again.

Spoon into serving plates. Top with carrots, sultanas and the bowl juices and a dollop of yoghurt. Season with pepper, then garnish with micro herbs. Serve.