(Photography: Armelle Habib)
Everyone loves Stephanie Alexander recipes and we’ve been lucky enough to share this delicious cauliflower, black barley and preserved lemon salad from her cookbook, Home.
I was introduced to black barley at a Melbourne restaurant and immediately loved its nutty flavour. It is not the easiest grain to locate but worth the search. If you do not find it, you could substitute freekeh, or even brown rice. The quantity of black barley given here will yield more than you need for this salad, but it is tricky to cook much less. I vacuum-packed the extra for another salad a few days later, otherwise you could double everything for a large party. This salad is lovely for a buffet party alongside a couple of other salads.
If you are fortunate enough to grow your own cauliflower, do include the tender green leaves and stems that cradle the main head. If the cauliflower has sat for any time in the shop or in your refrigerator, best to put the leaves and stems in the compost.
Ingredients
Method
Select a small saucepan with a well-fitting lid and bring the water to a boil. Add the black barley, cover, and simmer over gentle heat for about 50 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed. Tip into a bowl and cool.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Toast the cumin and coriander seeds separately in a dry frying pan over medium heat until fragrant. Tip into a mortar and grind coarsely with the pestle.
In a deep bowl combine the cauliflower florets with the spices, onion and 1/4 cup olive oil. Stir well to coat evenly and then tip everything into a shallow baking dish and roast for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through. The onion should become quite brown and crunchy. Set the cauliflower aside to cool to room temperature.
While the cauliflower mixture is cooling, wipe out the frying pan with paper towel, then add a very little olive oil and fry the pine nuts over low heat, stirring, until golden. Tip into the bowl the cauliflower was in. Rinse and dry the preserved lemon, then slice thinly and add to the bowl with the parsley and mint. Add the cooled cauliflower mixture and about half the cooled black barley and mix through. Check the seasoning. It is unlikely you will need salt because of the preserved lemon.
Pile the salad onto a platter and serve to the centre of the table.
This recipe has been extracted from Home by Stephanie Alexander, published by Macmillan Australia, RRP $59.99, and photography by Armelle Habib.
