Ancient Grain Salad with Sesame Crusted Fetta

Serves 4-6

Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

200g pearl barley 

100g black/red quinoa 

200g dates 

30g pistachios

20g almonds

1 tin chickpeas, drained 

1 bunch mint

1 bunch coriander

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Fetta

200g hard traditional fetta, diced 2 cm thick 

50g white sesame 

50g black sesame 

80g plain flour

1 egg, beaten 

25ml milk

For Dressing

150ml olive oil

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses 

2 pomegranates

½ lemon, juiced and zested 

Method

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over medium-high heat. Add pearl barley and cook for 15 minutes, then add quinoa and cook for a further 15 minutes or until tender. Cool down and drain. 

Coat your fetta in the flour, egg and then sesame seeds. Once all coated, deep fry in olive oil and set to one side. 

Rough chop your herbs, just to break them down but not too much. Fold through the grains, nuts, chopped dates and chickpeas. 

For the dressing, mix all ingredients together and then dress your salad with it. 

Add your deep-fried fetta on top as a garnish.