Name: Black barley, wild rice, candied almonds, barberry and marinated chèvre
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 200 gm black barley; 250 gm wild rice; For deep-frying: vegetable oil; 2 tbsp dried barberries; 2 tbsp sumac; To taste: olive oil; Juice and finely grated rind of 1½ lemons, or to taste; 100 gm marinated chèvre or goat’s curd; 2 tbsp dried rose petals; Candied almonds; 1½ tbsp caster sugar; 1 tsp rosewater, or to taste; 50 gm slivered almonds

Black barley, wild rice, candied almonds, barberry and marinated chèvre

Recipe for black barley, wild rice, candied almonds, barberry and marinated chèvre by Sean McConnell from Monster in Canberra.

Serves 6

Prep

25M

Cook

45M

Total

1H 10M

Ingredients

200 gm black barley

250 gm wild rice

For deep-frying: vegetable oil

2 tbsp dried barberries

2 tbsp sumac

To taste: olive oil

Juice and finely grated rind of 1½ lemons, or to taste

100 gm marinated chèvre or goat’s curd

2 tbsp dried rose petals

Candied almonds

1½ tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp rosewater, or to taste

50 gm slivered almonds

Method

Main

1.For candied almonds, preheat oven to 180C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Stir sugar, a splash of rosewater and 2 tbsp water in a saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add almonds, stir to coat, then tip onto tray and bake, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelised (10-12 minutes). Set aside.

2.Meanwhile, place barley and 1 litre cold salted water in a saucepan and 200gm wild rice and 1 litre cold salted water in another saucepan. Bring both to the boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer until tender but not falling apart (20-30 minutes). Drain and set aside.

3.Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan to 200C. Add remaining wild rice and fry until puffed (20-30 seconds; be careful, hot oil will spit as the grains puff up). Remove with a metal sieve and drain on paper towels.

4.Toss barley and wild rice with barberries, sumac, a splash of olive oil, and lemon juice and rind, and season to taste. Crumble marinated chèvre or spoon goat’s curd into a serving bowl or onto a platter, arrange the salad on top, scatter with rose petals, candied almonds and puffed wild rice and serve.