Roast Sweetcorn Barley with Baked Feta
Clock Image
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 25 mins
A seasonal meal of golden sweetcorn roasted with tender leeks, red Florence onion and creamy crumbled feta, folded through pearls of warm barley spiked with lemon and garlic and finished with tangy dollops of yogurt.
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491 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • 75g pearl barley
  • 1 red Florence onion
  • 2 leeks
  • 2 sweetcorn cobs
  • ½ x 200g feta
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 lemon
  • A handful of tarragon, leaves only
  • 50g rocket
  • 3 tbsp 0% fat yogurt
From your kitchen
  • Sea salt
  • 200ml boiling water
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper
You'll need
  • Pan with a lid
  • Roasting tin
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Preheat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Pour the barley into a pan and add a pinch of salt. Cover the barley with 200ml boiling water. Set the pan on the hob and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25 mins, till tender.

  • 2.

    Meanwhile, trim the root and stalk away from the red Florence onion. Slice it into bite-sized chunks. Trim the root and top 3cm off the leeks, and rinse them under a cold tap. Slice the leeks into 1cm-thick rounds. Pull the leaves and silks off the sweetcorn cobs. Scatter the chopped onion and leeks into a large roasting tin. Nestle in the whole sweetcorn cobs. Crumble over large chunks of feta. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Fold together, then slide into the oven for 20 mins.

  • 3.

    When the barley is cooked, drain if necessary and tip into a bowl. Peel and grate in the garlic clove. Grate in the lemon zest and squeeze in the juice. Pick the tarragon leaves and add to the barley with 1 tsp olive oil.

  • 4.

    Remove the roasted veg from the oven, removing the corn cobs from the tin and allowing them to cool slightly. Carefully stand the cobs upright on a chopping board and run a knife down the sides to slice off the kernels. Tip the kernels into the barley, along with the onion, leeks and feta. Add the rocket leaves and stir to mix. Have a taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.

  • 5.

    Divide the barley and veg between a couple of plates, and dollop over the yogurt to serve.

  • Tip

    Things are better with feta
    Your leftover feta will keep, wrapped, in the fridge for a few days. You can use it to extra some extra oomph to sweet potato wedges. Simply roast wedges of sweet potato tossed with dried oregano, dried mint and crush garlic till golden and crisp. Pop in a warm bowl and top with crumbled feta, chopped parsley and a sprinkle of dried chilli flakes.

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