From Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi
1/4 cup Pearl Barley - you can substitute farro, spelt or wheat berries
5 oz Feta Cheese
5 1/2 TB Olive Oil
1 tsp Za’atar
1/2 tsp Coriander Seeds, lightly toasted and crushed
1/4 tsp ground Cumin
3 oz Parsley, leaves and stems
4 green Onions, finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
1/3 cup Cashew Nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely crushed
1 Green Pepper, seeded and cut into 3/8” dice - we used Lunchbox Pepper
1/2 tsp ground Allspice
2 TB freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
Place barley in a small saucepan, cover with plenty of water and boil for 30 to 35 minutes, until tender but with a bite. Pour into a fine sieve, shake to remove all the water, and transfer to a large bowl. Break the feta into rough pieces, about 3/4” in size, and mix in a small bowl with 1 1/2 TB of the olive oil, the za’atar, the coriander seeds, and the cumin. Gently mix together and leave to marinate while you prepare the rest of the salad. Chop the parsley finely and place in a bowl with the green onions, garlic, cashew nuts, pepper, allspice, lemon juice, the remaining olive oil, and the cooked barley. Mix together well and season to taste. Top with marinated feta.