Harissa, a spice mix from North Africa, packs a real flavour punch and is great for marinating any meat.
From Nadia Lim’s Fresh Start Cookbook
I love using barley in salads — it adds texture and a lovely nutty flavour. ‘Massaging’ the kale with olive oil and lemon juice helps soften it and take away some of its bitterness.
HARISSA CHICKEN STEAKS WITH KALE + BARLEY TABOULEH
SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
- pearl barley 1 cup
- chicken breast 600g boneless, skinless
- harissa paste (store-bought or see
- page 276) 2 tablespoons
- salt
- curly kale, cavolo nero, spinach or
- rocket about 100g, tough stalks
- removed, leaves chopped
- lemon juice of 1
- extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon
- red onion, finely diced
- telegraph cucumber, halved,
- deseeded and finely diced
- cherry tomatoes 1 punnet, halved
- flat-leaf parsley cup chopped
- mint leaves cup sliced
- dukkah or chopped roasted almonds
- 2 tablespoons
- freshly ground black pepper
TO SERVE
- Hummus - cup
Preheat oven to 200.C. Bring a small saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook barley in boiling water until tender but still a little firm to the bite, 15–20 minutes. Drain barley and rinse under the tap to cool slightly. Drain well.
Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally so you have two thinner chicken steaks. To do this, place a chicken breast flat on a chopping board. Place one hand on top of the chicken breast and, using a sharp knife, slice through the chicken breast horizontally trying to keep an equal thickness either side.
Coat chicken steaks well with harissa paste, rubbing it all over. Place chicken in a small roasting or oven dish, season with salt and roast for 8–10 minutes until cooked through but still moist and succulent on the inside. Rest chicken for a few minutes after cooking.
Drizzle kale with lemon juice and olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Use your fingertips to gently massage the kale — it helps soften it. Toss kale with barley, red onion, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, parsley, mint and dukkah or roasted almonds.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, place a chicken steak on each plate and top with tabouleh. Spoon over any cooking juices from the chicken. Serve with a dollop of hummus on the side.
We make these at home at least once a week. It took a long time to find our favourite mix of flours for these perfect pancakes — this recipe is iteration 1675ish. Try adjusting the ratio of the different flours to find your own favourite texture and flavour.
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