Ever since I discovered the wonders of tzimmes, I simply cannot look at carrots without thinking of all the inexhaustible variations of flavours made possible by that wondrous carrot-centric Jewish dish. This recipe is sort of an improvisation on various dishes of the Ashkenazi cuisine — tzimmes, of course, and cholent, a pearl barley and root vegetable stew, with a nod to the Mizrahi cuisine in the way the dish is presented as a tabbouleh salad rather than a stew. The result is a complex, fragrant dish with real bite and substance to it.

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
• Cook the pearl barley according to the packet instructions. When ready, drain and stir in the salted butter.
• In a bowl, mix together the oil, honey, orange zest and juice. Toss the carrots and the onions around in the bowl and place them on a baking tray (pan), pouring in any remaining marinade. Sprinkle generously with sea salt flakes. Roast in the oven for 40–45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a dry frying pan and toast the walnuts over a medium high heat for 5 minutes until they turn brown in places. Tip onto a chopping board, allow to cool a little, then roughly chop. Using the same pan, toast the coriander and caraway seeds for 5–8 minutes, then pound them roughly in a mortar and pestle. Roughly chop the apricots.
• Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together with a couple of pinches of sea salt flakes until the honey and salt dissolve.
• To assemble: put the cooked barley and vegetables into a large bowl, add the apricots, walnuts, toasted seeds, herbs and the dressing. Gently mix together.

Recipe extracted from Kapusta: Vegetable-forward recipes from Eastern Europe (Quadrille)