First, gather all of the ingredients together.

Finely chop the garlic, peel and quarter the shallots, and slice lengthways the baby carrots. Also roughly chop the parsley and take the zest from one lemon.

Add the oil to a large roasting tray and add the shallots and carrots. Season with sea salt and black pepper. 

Place the roasting tray on a hob and heat until the vegetables start to cook. As soon as the vegetables start to colour remove from the heat and add the garlic, lemon zest and fennel seeds. Now, place the roasting tray in a pre-heated oven at 200C / 180C Fan and finish braising for 30-40 minutes, or until the carrots and cooked. Toss occasionally.

While the vegetables are cooking wash the pearl barley and place in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes to until the barley is al dente.

When both the vegetables and pearl barley are cooked mix together and allow to cool (this salad can also be served warm).

Finish by adding the chopped parsley to the salad.

And that's it. Serve the salad as a lunch snack or as a side dish to a larger meal. This recipe is great for a BBQ banquet. Yum!