Pearl barley and puy lentil salad with sweet potato, broccoli and roasted baby tomatoes, spicy mustard vinaigrette dressing

INGREDIENTS:

• half cup pearl barley
• half cup puy (French) lentils
• 1 small lemon
• 3-4 small fingerling sweet potatoes, scrubbed, skins on, sliced into thin slices (approx. 1cm)
• Small head broccoli, head cut into small florets¬†
• Handful baby vine or punnet cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• half teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• Olive oil for roasting
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
2. Place baby potato slices onto one half of a non-stick baking tray, place cherry tomatoes onto the other half, and drizzle both with a little olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
3. Roast in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft in the middle when tested with a small sharp knife. Set aside.
4. Place pearl barley in a small saucepan along with 1 1/2 cup water and cook for 15-20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and barley cooked ~ you’ll know when it’s cooked when the texture is soft but still a little nutty with it still has a little bite to the barley.
5. At the same time, repeat process in another saucepan with the lentils. Cooking as above or as per your packet’s instructions.
6. Rinse both the barley and lentils in cold water and drain thoroughly before adding both into a large mixing bowl.
7. Add a small glug of EVOO and squeeze over the juice of 1 small lemon. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and add a pinch of salt.
8. Using one of the same saucepans used to cook the barley/lentils, half fill with cold water, bring to the boil over high heat then add the broccoli florets. Cook over high heat for 2-3 minutes then drain and plunge into a bowl of iced water ~ this helps the broccoli to retain its bright green colour when cooked and cooled. After 2 or 3 minutes of cooling in the iced water, drain broccoli again and add to barley mixture along with the roasted tomatoes and sliced sweet potato.In a small bowl whisk together the mustard; vinegar; cumin and EVOO, pour over salad. Tossing well to coat everything evenly.Store in an airtight container in the fridge until required.

Prep. Time: 30 mins