- 2 pointed red peppers
- 250g cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 garlic cloves
- A handful of thyme, leaves only
- 2 spring onions
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 150g pearl barley
- 200g runner beans
- 1 lemon
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 300ml boiling water
- 1.
Preheat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Halve the peppers lengthways and flick out the seeds and membrane. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Nestle both ingredients snugly in a roasting tin.
- 2.
Peel and grate 1 garlic clove into the tin and sprinkle in the thyme leaves and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Toss together with a good pinch of salt and pepper and 1 tbsp oil. Slide into the oven and roast for 25-30 mins.
- 3.
Peel and grate the remaining garlic clove. Finely slice the spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separate.
- 4.
Pour 1 tbsp oil into a pan and bring to a medium heat. Slide in the garlic, white spring onion slices and 1 tbsp cumin seeds and fry gently for 2 mins. Add the pearl barley and a good pinch of salt, and pour in 300ml boiling water. Bring to the boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 20 mins, till the grains are tender.
- 5.
Trim and slice the runner beans. When the pearl barley has had 20 mins, stir in the beans and continue to cook for a further 2-3 mins. Grate in the lemon zest and squeeze in the juice. Pour in 1 tbsp oil and stir well to combine.
- 6.
Pile the barley onto plates and top with the roasted peppers and tomatoes. Finish with a scattering of the green spring onion tops.