High in fibre and an excellent source of vitamins such as iron, potassium, zinc and riboflavin – it’s unsurprising that spelt is becoming an increasingly popular wheat alternative. One of today’s healthiest grains, spelt is an ancient member of the wheat family (dubbed ‘the marching grain’ by Romans, for its high source of energy), with a unique gluten structure that’s easier to digest and better suited to those with wheat intolerances.
In turn, Sharpham Park – an organic spelt farm near Glastonbury, in Somerset – have collaborated with blogger Kathy Slack (Gluts & Gluttony) to create a number of spelt-focused recipes. This salad, for instance, is “a warming Spring salad of kale, purple sprouting broccoli, spelt and anchovies.”
Ingredients
- Sharpham Park Spelt Grain, 150g
- Russian Hungry Gap kale (or any kale), 150g
- Sunflower oil, a glug
- Salt and pepper
- Chilli flakes, ½ tsp
- Garlic granules, a sprinkling
- Purple sprouting broccoli, 175g
- Shallot, 1 (or 1/4 red onion)
- Sherry vinegar, a splash
- Tinned anchovy fillets, 10
- Extra virgin olive oil, a glug
Method
- Rinse the spelt then cover with cold water and boil for 20 minutes until just soft. Drain, rinse again then set aside until needed.
- Pre-heat the oven to 170C.
- Remove the stalks from the kale and tear it into pieces, roughly an inch square. Pop the leaves in a bowl with a slug of sunflower oil, salt and pepper, chilli flakes and a few garlic granules.
- Massage the oil and seasoning into each piece of kale making sure everything is nicely coated but not swimming in oil. Lay the kale out across two baking trays so the leaves are well spread out then bake in the oven for 15 minutes, turning half way. Remove when crispy, but not brown, and set aside until needed.
- Get a griddle pan nice and hot, drizzle a little sunflower oil over the broccoli spears then griddle them until just soft and nicely toasted. You will need to do this in 2-3 batches.
- Finely slice the shallot and put it in a large bowl together with a splash of sherry vinegar, 4 of the anchovy fillets, which you have finely chopped, and a slug of extra virgin olive oil. Muddle it all together and leave for a few minutes so the shallot can soften.
- To assemble the salad, toss the spelt in the shallot mixture then add the broccoli and the remaining whole anchovy fillets. Adjust the seasoning, pile onto a plate adding a handful of crispy kale as you go.
Further information on Sharpham Park can be found at sharphampark.com.
Recipe & Photography by Kathy Slack (Gluts & Gluttony).
Ingredients
- 150 g Sharpham Park Spelt Grain
- 150 g Russian Hungry Gap kale (or any kale)
- Sunflower oil a glug
- Salt and pepper
- ½ tsp Chilli flakes
- Garlic granules a sprinkling
- 175 g Purple sprouting broccoli
- 1 Shallot or 1/4 red onion
- Sherry vinegar a splash
- 10 Tinned anchovy fillets
- Extra virgin olive oil a glug
Instructions
- Rinse the spelt then cover with cold water and boil for 20 minutes until just soft. Drain, rinse again then set aside until needed.
- Pre-heat the oven to 170C.
- Remove the stalks from the kale and tear it into pieces, roughly an inch square. Pop the leaves in a bowl with a slug of sunflower oil, salt and pepper, chilli flakes and a few garlic granules.
- Massage the oil and seasoning into each piece of kale making sure everything is nicely coated but not swimming in oil. Lay the kale out across two baking trays so the leaves are well spread out then bake in the oven for 15 minutes, turning half way. Remove when crispy, but not brown, and set aside until needed.
- Get a griddle pan nice and hot, drizzle a little sunflower oil over the broccoli spears then griddle them until just soft and nicely toasted. You will need to do this in 2-3 batches.
- Finely slice the shallot and put it in a large bowl together with a splash of sherry vinegar, 4 of the anchovy fillets, which you have finely chopped, and a slug of extra virgin olive oil. Muddle it all together and leave for a few minutes so the shallot can soften.
- To assemble the salad, toss the spelt in the shallot mixture then add the broccoli and the remaining whole anchovy fillets. Adjust the seasoning, pile onto a plate adding a handful of crispy kale as you go.
