OCA (YAM) WITH SPELT, MISO & ROASTED PEARS

SERVES 4

For a long time, I wanted to make a dish out of oca (or yam, as it’s more commonly known), but it eluded me. Then one day I picked some up at the market, roasted them with baby pears I had hanging around, deglazed the lot with butter and honey vinegar, and added some organic spelt bound with miso. It’s definitely a vegetarian good time.

240g organic spelt grain 500ml cold water

4 thyme sprigs

1½ tablespoons grapeseed oil 400g oca, scrubbed to remove any dirt 1 ripe pear, cored and cut into eighths 2 tablespoons honey vinegar 140g butter

40g spelt miso

10 sorrel leaves, shredded, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 165°C.

Combine the spelt grain, cold water, thyme and salt in a pan and cook out slowly on a low to medium heat. It should take approximately 45 minutes. Drain and remove the thyme.

While the spelt is cooking, heat a heavy-based, ovenproof pan. Add the oil and oca and season with some sea salt. Cook in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes, until caramelised on the outside and soft at the centre. Add the pear and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

Pull the pan out of the oven and put it on a low heat. Add the honey vinegar and 30g butter and swirl to glaze the oca and pear.

In a saucepan, heat the spelt, remaining butter and miso until the spelt is hot and the liquid has reduced to form an emulsified sauce, about 5 minutes. Season if required. Top with the oca and pear, then garnish with sorrel.