- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 vine tomatoes
- 75g pearl barley
- ½ vegetable stock cube
- A handful of basil, leaves only
- 1 lemon
- 2 haddock fillets
- 200g spinach
- 3 tsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 200ml boiling water
- 1 tsp cold water
- 1.
Peel the onion and finely chop it. Peel the garlic cloves and crush or finely chop them. Pour 1 tsp olive oil into a pan and warm to a medium heat. Slide in the onion and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 mins, till slightly softened. Add the garlic to the pan and fry for a further 1 min.
- 2.
While the onion cooks, dice the tomatoes into small pieces. Slide the tomatoes into the pan and cook for 5 mins.
- 3.
Stir the pearl barley into the pan and crumble in half the stock cube. Pour in 200ml boiling water. Stir well and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20-25 mins, till the grains are tender.
- 4.
Meanwhile, pick the basil leaves off their sprigs and finely slice the leaves. Slide the basil into a bowl. Grate in the lemon zest and squeeze in the juice. Pour in 1 tsp cold water and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then set aside.
- 5.
Heat your grill to high. Arrange the haddock on a baking tray lined with foil and brush each fillet with 1 tsp olive oil. Sprinkle over a pinch of salt and pepper. Slide the haddock under the grill for 5-6 mins, till cooked through and the fillets flake easily when pressed with a fork.
- 6.
Trim any dry ends off the spinach and roughly chop the leaves. When the barley is tender and has absorbed the water, tip in the spinach and stir till the leaves are wilted. Taste the barley and add a little more salt and pepper if needed.
- 7.
Divide the barley between 2 plates and top with the grilled haddock. Spoon the basil dressing over the top and serve.