ROAST PUMPKIN, MACADAMIA MILK & FERMENTED GRAINS

Serves 4 (See photograph, page 97)

1½ cups hulled barley*

1 butternut pumpkin, peeled, quartered lengthways, seeds removed

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

1–2 teaspoons ground mountain pepper leaf, plus extra to serve**

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 cup coriander leaves

1 cup dill sprigs

1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

MACADAMIA MILK

2 cups roasted macadamias

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

Place barley in a bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside at room temperature overnight to ferment. Drain and rinse. Place barley in a saucepan with 4½ cups water. Bring to boil over a high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Transfer to a large bowl. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place pumpkin on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with mountain pepper leaf and season with sea salt. Roast for 40–45 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, to make macadamia milk, process macadamias, red wine vinegar, salt and ¾ cup of water in a food processor until finely chopped. Spoon mixture into a fine sieve set over a bowl. Press with back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Whisk together extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar in a bowl. Season to taste. Add coriander, dill, parsley and dressing to barley and toss to combine. Spoon macadamia milk onto serving plates and top with sliced pumpkin and barley salad. Drizzle with extra olive oil. Garnish with extra mountain pepper leaf to serve. *Available at health-food outlets. Substitute pearl barley. **Available at specialty spice outlets and some specialty food stores. Substitute black pepper. >