Barley Pilaf with Roasted Vegetable and Deep Fried Goat Cheese

This was an adaptation of one of the very first dishes I made when we moved into our current apartment. I made this dish many times in the beginning because it was very good and I wasn't that much of a skilled recipe-hunter then. Looking back, it was courageous of me to cook this pilaf as a novice - the recipe itself requires quite a lengthy preparation and proper planning ahead, to top that, I added roasted vegetables. I have tried this recipe with homemade labneh, cream cheese, and yogurt. This time I put deep fried goat cheese and cooked barley into it to come to this Barley Pilaf.

Want to know what Adrian said? "if there were a restaurant that serves this, I'd be eating there everyday" =) This is a really good recipe. It has a very intricate and complex taste: we like the compliment of lemony caramelized onions with chili-roasted tomatoes. There's also the subtle hint of mint with very bite. Although the deep fried goat cheese was good on itself but it didn't seem to fit in with the rest.

I prefer to make part of the dish in advance; the chili-roasted tomatoes (and optional roasted vegetables) may be served hot or cold over the pilaf. If you are going to make deep fried goat cheese, remember to freeze it before hand. Now, I'm going to try and make the whole thing looks as clear as possible by breaking the steps down into its elementary preparation. Have fun!

Ingredients and Methods:

For the tomatoes:
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 TB olive oil
2 TB balsamic vinegar
1 - 1 1/2 tsp harissa*
2 tsp natural cane sugar

(*Instead of using harissa, I used a mix of cumin, coriander, chili flakes and cayenne pepper)
They can either be hot or at room temperature when you add them to the pilaf, so you could do this part in advance.

• Preheat oven to 150C.
  
• Mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, harissa, some salt and pepper, and pour this over the tomatoes. Turn them over, making sure they get coated, ending with them cut-side up. Sprinkle the soft brown sugar over the top and put in an oven. Cook for 30 - 35 minutes, until the tomatoes are shrunken and sweet.
  

For the Roasted Vegetables: (optional)
1 red bell pepper, cut into wedges
1/4 large pumpkin, cut into cubes
1/4 C olive oil
2 TB balsamic vinegar
Pinch of sea salt
This, too, can be prepared in advance.

• Preheat oven to 200C.
  
• Toss vegetables with olive oil, vinegar and sea salt.
• Roast until vegetables are tender and cooked through, tossing occasionally.
  
• Remove and cut bell pepper into cubes.
  

For the Pilaf:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 C cooked barley
10 1/2 oz spinach, leaves only
leaves torn from a small bunch of mint, torn

• Saute chopped onion with a generous pinch of salt. When the onion is soft and translucent add garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Tip the cooked barley into the pan, toss to coat evenly. Remove from heat.
  
• Immediately stir in chopped spinach leaves and let cooked in the hot barley.
  

For the onions:
2 onions, very finely sliced into ring
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp natural cane sugar
juice of 1/2 small lemon
sea salt and pepper

• Quickly cook the finely sliced onions in very hot oil till golden brown and crispy. For the last minute of cooking time, add the cinnamon and brown sugar. Stir this around and, once the sugar has melted and begun to slightly caramelize, add lemon juice and some salt and pepper.

For the Deep Fried Goat Cheese
Goat cheese, frozen and cut into bite-size
Flour
1 Egg, beaten
Breadcrumbs

• Place the flour, egg and bread crumb in 3 different bowls. Dip the cheese in the flour, then egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Place carefully into the hot skillet. Let cook about 2 minutes until brown on the bottom, carefully flip over & cook the other side another 2 minutes.

FINALLY!!!

Layer the different components in a broad, shallow bowl: tip in the barley + spinach, sprinkle on half the mint, then the tomatoes and roasted vegetables, then the rest of the mint. Now strew the onions on top, followed by goat cheese, and serve.

PHEW~!!