I adore spelt, and use it regularly as a grain in soups, stews, and classic rice dishes such as this comforting risotto. It is a nutritious ancient whole grain which I find nutty and satisfying. In this risotto, I’ve paired it with squash, kale, and meaty oyster mushrooms - in season in the wild year-round but I find them particularly during the winter months (alternatively, oyster mushrooms are readily available at well-stocked supermarkets and Asian food stores). You could easily substitute the oysters for other substantial meaty mushrooms that roast well, such as shitake or portobello mushrooms.

​

Ingredients (serves 4)

​

• 2 tbsps. olive oil

• 1 medium onion, finely diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 240g spelt grains, rinsed

• 100ml white wine (optional)

• 200g squash (such as butternut or crown prince), peeled and cut into small cubes

• 200g oyster mushrooms trimmed and ripped into large pieces (or other meaty mushrooms such as shitake or portobello)

• Small bunch of woody herbs (e.g. thyme, rosemary, sage)

• 600ml stock (chicken or veg stock)

• Small bunch of kale, washed, removed from stems and shredded

• Salt and pepper

• 30g parmesan cheese, finely grated

• Small bunch of parsley, chopped

 

Method

​

1. Heat the oven to 180c fan.
    

2. In a large heavy pan, sauté the onion gently in 1tbsp of the olive oil for a few minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for one further minute.
    

3. Add the spelt grains and stir to coat in the oil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring consistently to gently toast. If using the wine, add it and simmer for 2 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the cubed squash.
    

4. Meanwhile, the oven should be at temperature. Add the oyster mushrooms to a roasting tray tossed in the remaining 1tbsp of olive oil. Add woody herbs to the tray, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and roast for 20 minutes, turning the mushrooms half-way through. They should have caramelised, slightly crispy gills on each side when done.
    

5. Now add the stock 100ml at a time (roughly speaking). Use the same approach as you would when making a risotto with arborio rice – as soon as the spelt has absorbed the stock, add a little bit more.
    

6. Once half of the stock has been used, add the shredded kale. Then, keep adding the stock gradually until all is absorbed, the spelt grains are cooked but still nutty, and the squash is tender. Stir in salt and pepper to taste, and the parmesan. Serve in pasta bowls topped with the roast oyster mushrooms and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.