Spelt salad with roasted cauliflower and grapes

Serves 4

I adore this wonderful grain. If you have never roasted grapes before, you’ll be surprised by how magnificent they are all blistered and bruised and bursting with flavour.

— 200g spelt grains, soaked

overnight and rinsed

— ½ large cucumber, cut

into ribbons

— 2 tbsp cider vinegar

— 1 tbsp agave nectar

— ½ tsp sea-salt flakes — small bunch of dill, finely chopped, plus extra torn fronds to serve — handful of pomegranate seeds, to garnish

For the roasted cauliflower and grapes

— 1 small head of cauliflower,

broken into florets

— 1 tbsp olive oil

— 1 heaped tsp zaatar

(or dried thyme)

— 50g seedless black grapes

For the dressing

— 75g sunflower seeds

— 1 tsp Dijon mustard

— juice of ½ lemon

— ½ tsp pomegranate molasses — ½ tbsp agave nectar or

maple syrup

— sea-salt flakes, to season Add the spelt grains to a large saucepan and pour over 750ml water. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 60-75 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave to steam, covered, for 5-10 minutes, then fluff the grains up with a fork and set aside to cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 220C/ gas mark 7.

Put the cauliflower florets in a bowl with the olive oil, toss to coat and sprinkle over the zaatar. Season generously, arrange on a baking tray in an even layer and roast for 15 minutes, then add the grapes and roast for a further five minutes, or until the cauliflower is lightly charred and the grapes are blistered.

Meanwhile, put the cucumber ribbons in a bowl. Whisk the cider vinegar, agave nectar and sea-salt flakes together in a separate bowl, then pour over the cucumber ribbons and set them aside for 15-20 minutes to pickle lightly.

Place the cooled spelt in a shallow serving bowl together with a tablespoon or so of the cucumber-pickling liquid. Drain the cucumber, add it to the bowl with the dill and toss everything together with your hands.

To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a blender with some black pepper, and blitz, adding 150-175ml water as needed, until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides from time to time as you go.

To serve, top the salad with the roasted cauliflower and grapes, drizzle over the dressing and garnish with the pomegranate seeds and a few torn dill fronds.