3/4 cup of Pearl barley, washed and rinsed

1 cup black wild rice

1 cup of brown puy lentils ( if you find a good quality, ready cooked canned version- this is also completely acceptable!)

1 cup fresh pomegranate arils

3/4 tsp Spanish paprika

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 cup of walnuts, crushed roughly into pea size pieces and lightly toasted

1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

2 tbs creme fraiche OR 1 tbs mascarpone

1/2 chicken OR vegetable stock cube

1 bunch fresh parsley roughly chopped

1 tsp freshly minced garlic

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper for seasoning

Juice of half a lime

1. Wash and rinse out the starch from pearl barley and black wild rice.

2. Heat a wide pan on a low to medium heat and add 2 tbs coconut oil or canola oil.

3. Lightly fry the cumin seeds and add the garlic, frying lightly for a further one or two minutes taking care not to burn. Now add the Pearl barley and the Black Wild rice.

4. Sautée gently for a minute or two and then add 2 cups of boiling water. Add the chicken or the vegetable stock cube, stir in to dissolve the cube, lower the heat completely and leave the grains to cook. Now , this will take a maximum of 25 minutes on a very low heat. Remember these grains should still have an al dente feel, they are not meant to be very soft. That extra ‘bite’ is what is going to make the dish so scrumptious!

5. In the meantime, wash and drain your lentils and set them to boil in a deep pan of water for 10 minutes only. You want them just tender, not mushy.

5. Once the grains and the lentils are cooked, tip them into a large bowl. Whilst they are still warm stir in all the rest of the ingredients, adding the creme fraiche / mascarpone, the walnuts, the pine nuts, the Spanish paprika, the lime juice, the parsley and finishing with some salt and black pepper for seasoning. Your finale is the the pomegranate arils, stir everything together and that’s it- you’re done!!