Bloodplum,burrataand watercress salad with toasted barley
SERVES4 // PREPTIME 10 MINS// COOK 25 MINS
Choose plums that are ripe but still firm for this recipe. Peaches or nectarines would also work well.
1 tbspoliveoil
200 gm(1cup)pearlbarley
6 bloodplums,cutintowedges
2 babyfennel,thinlyshavedon
a mandolin,frondsreserved
350 gmwatercress,sprigspicked
1 goldenshallot,thinly sliced
ona mandolin
2 burrata,drained
BASILVINAIGRETTE
125 ml(1/2cup)extra-virginoliveoil,
plusextratoserve
2 tbspwhitebalsamicvinegar
1 garlicclove,finelygrated
1 tspfennelseeds,crushed
Finelygratedzestof1 lemon,
plus1 tbsplemonjuice
½ cup basil leaves
1 Heatoilina mediumsaucepanover
medium-highheat.Addbarleyand
cook,stirring,untilgoldenandtoasted
(3-4minutes).Add2 litreswaterand
bringtoa simmer,reduceheattomedium
andsimmeruntiltender(20minutes).
Drain,thenrinseanddrainwell.Transfer
toa bowlandchilluntilreadytoserve.
2 Meanwhile,forbasilvinaigrette,whisk
oil,vinegar,garlic,fennelseeds,zestand
juice, and ¼ cup finely chopped reservedfennelfrondsina jugandseason
totaste.Transferhalfthedressing
tothebowlwithbarley,tosstocoat
andseasontotaste.Addbasilto
remainingdressingandblendwith
a hand-heldblenderuntilsmooth.
3 Scatterbarleymixtureoverserving
plates,topwithplumwedges,shaved
fennel,watercress,shallotandburrata.
Drizzlewithbasilvinaigretteand
extra-virgin olive oil to serve.➤GOURMET TRAVELLER 77