94 SUPERFOOD
WHOLESOME GRAIN DISHES
Use wholesome grains
to create delicious,
simple dishes that are
both satisfying and
healthy. By Alex Hely-
Hutchinson
WHOLESOME GRAIN
DISHES
Spelt with Parsley-almond Pesto, Cherry Tomatoes & Parmesan
When I moved to my new house, we decided
to have a barbecue on that fi rst warm summer
evening. I wanted to make something simple
and delicious to accompany some of our
other summer evening dishes – oysters,
salad, roasted vegetables and burgers. I had
spotted the large bunch of parsley in the
herb patch of the beautiful big garden and
decided to make this light, refreshing dish.
SPELT
- 200g (7oz) pearled spelt, soaked
in water for at least 1 hour - 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, fi nely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 250g (9oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 150g (5½oz) rocket
- 50g (1¾oz) shaved Parmesan
PESTO
- 75g (2¾oz) fl aked almonds
- 50g (1¾oz) parsley
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 100ml (3½fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper
SERVES: 4
- Start by making the spelt. Add 1 litre of
water to a medium pan and bring to the boil.
Add the drained spelt and reduce the heat so
the water is at a gentle rolling boil. Cook for
20 minutes until tender. - Add the olive oil to a pan over a
medium heat. Add the onion and let it cook
for about 7 minutes until soft ened, then
add the garlic and cook for a minute longer.
Remove from the heat and stir in the
tomatoes.
- To make the pesto, place all the ingredients
in a food processor or blender and pulse
briefl y (about 6 times) for a more textured
pesto, or blend at high speed for a minute or
so for a smoother pesto. - Drain the cooked spelt and allow to cool
slightly. Mix with the onion and tomatoes in
a bowl and add stir in about 8 tablespoons of
the pesto. - Season with salt and pepper and serve
with the rocket and shaved Parmesan.
PER SERVING FOR THE SPELT 285kcals, 12.6g protein,
8.5g fat, (2.7g saturates), 43g carbs, 7.1g fi bre, 7.3g sugar,
0.3g sodium
PESTO PER TBSP 71kcals, 0.9g protein, 7.2g fat, (0.9g
saturates), 0.7g carbs, 0.5g fi bre, 0.3g sugar, <0.1g sodium
QUICK TIP
Any left over
pesto can be
stored in the
fridge in an
airtight jar for
up to 5 days.
SF9_P94-95 Grains SHSD.indd 94 02/02/2017 11:00