Pearled spelt salad with peas & gooseberries

2 of 5-a-day 2 servings 200 kcal or less 30-60 minutes fibre folate good for you just for two low gi mains masterchef rice romantic summer summer salad veggie

N/A

Source

Ingredients

½ onion , finely chopped

½ large celery stick, finely chopped

1 carrot , finely chopped

50g pearled spelt

¼ fennel bulb , finely sliced, fronds reserved

6 pea pods, with peas inside

½ small bag mixed salad leaves

2 tomatoes , sliced into thin wedges- try to get some interesting varieties

3 gooseberries , sliced

rapeseed oil , for drizzling

Method

Put the onion, celery and carrot in a pan with 200ml water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 mins. Add the spelt to the pan, cover and continue to simmer for 10 mins. Add the sliced fennel and pea pods, and cook for a further 10 mins. Check that the spelt is cooked – it should be soft but slightly al dente. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water, then strain. Put the spelt and poached vegetables in the fridge to cool for 1 hr.

To serve, put the salad leaves on a plate, then spoon the spelt and vegetables on top. Dress the plate with the tomatoes, gooseberries, pea pods and fennel fronds. Finally, drizzle with a little rapeseed oil.