Vegetarian mains
Cauliflower spelt stew with crispy leeks
A nourishing and warming bowl of nutty spelt with seasonal cauliflower and greens (use any greens; kale, winter greens, pointed cabbage, whatever you have to hand). Topped with fried leeks and toasted hazelnuts, it's a hearty, yet light, winter supper. Add the mustard and lemon juice to your taste.
Ingredients
- 125g pearled spelt
- ½ tbsp bouillon powder
- ½ large or 1 small cauliflower
- 1 garlic clove
- 15g thyme
- 1 tbsp sweet white miso
- 1 lemon
- 1 leek
- ½ a pointed cabbage
- oil for frying
- 25g toasted and chopped hazelnuts
- 1 tbsp coarse grain mustard - add to taste
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
Method
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Step 1
Boil a kettle. Put the spelt in a large, dry saucepan. Lightly toast it on a medium heat for 2-3 mins. Add 800ml of boiled water (take care, it will splutter a bit) and the bouillon powder. Simmer gently for 12 mins while you continue.
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Step 2
Trim and discard the cauliflower leaves and stalk. Slice it into rough 1cm pieces. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Strip 2 tbsp worth of leaves off the thyme sprigs.
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Step 3
After 12 mins, add the cauliflower, garlic, miso and ¾ of the thyme leaves to the spelt. Season. Simmer for a further 12 mins, adding a splash more water as needed to prevent it from drying out.
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Step 4
Finely zest the lemon. Trim and halve the leek, lengthways. Give it a quick wash then finely slice each ½. Thinly shred enough cabbage for 2 handfuls.
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Step 5
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan. Fry the leek on a high heat for 3 mins, until lightly coloured and starting to catch at the edges. Remove from the heat. Mix in the lemon zest and hazelnuts. Season with salt.
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Step 6
Stir the cabbage into the spelt, until just wilted. Add mustard, lemon juice and seasoning, all to taste.
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Step 7
Divide between 2 bowls. Garnish with the leeks, hazelnuts and remaining thyme. If you like, drizzle over a little olive oil to finish - no more than 1 tbsp, to keep to the calorie count supplied.