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Spelt with spiced roasted cauliflower
Serves 4-6 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower
- 2tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
- 1tbsp za’atar
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 small leek, finely chopped
- 1 fat garlic clove, crushed
- 150g pearled spelt
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 50g blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- 25g pistachios, roughly chopped
- 25g pumpkin seeds
- 25g pumpkin seeds
- 50g sultanas
- 1tbsp pomegranate molasses
- squeeze lemon juice
- 2tbsp roughly chopped coriander
- 2tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2tbsp pomegranate seeds
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C F/Gas 6. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Cut the cauliflower florets and leaves into bite-sized pieces. Reserve the leaves and tip the florets into a large bowl, then drizzle 1tbsp rapeseed or olive oil over, add the za’atar and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix to thoroughly coat the cauliflower in the spices, then arrange on the prepared baking tray and roast in the oven for around 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until tender and starting to brown at the edges.
Meanwhile, tip the onion and leek into a large pan, add the remaining 1tbsp rapeseed or olive oil and cook over a medium heat for around 10 minutes, stirring frequently until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
Rinse the spelt in a sieve under cold running water and add to the pan with the stock and bay leaf. Season and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for around 20 minutes or until the spelt is tender and most of the stock has been absorbed.
Add the roughly chopped cauliflower leaves, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sultanas and pomegranate molasses to the cauliflower florets, mix to coat and roast for a further 5 minutes until the leaves are softened and starting to brown at the edges.
Tip the cauliflower mixture into the spelt, add the lemon juice and most of the herbs and gently mix to combine. Spoon on to a large platter, scatter the pomegranate seeds and remaining herbs over and serve.
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