Pearled spelt salad with beetroot, goat’s curd, hazelnut and dill

Serves 4-6

— 1.5kg beetroot — 250g pearled spelt — 150ml raspberry

vinegar

— juice of 2 lemons,

as needed

— 4 tbsp hazelnuts,

to garnish

— 1 tsp wild dill pollen

(optional)

— 200g seasonal salad leaves or edible flowers — 300g goat’s curd,

diced Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.

Scrub the beetroot clean and trim off any gnarly bits. Put the beetroot in a roasting tin or ceramic dish and pour in enough hot water to come about halfway up the beetroot. Season the water generously with salt and pepper, then cover the tin with kitchen foil, making sure you seal it tightly around the edges. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes for small beetroots and 40 minutes for large ones.

Remove the tin from the oven and carefully, using oven mitts, lift the foil (a lot of steam will escape). Turn all the beetroots round so they cook evenly, then re-cover and cook for a further 20 or 40 minutes, as above, until tender.

Meanwhile, put the pearled spelt in a saucepan, cover with water and add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then turn theheatdowntolow and cook for about 10 minutes until just tender. Drain off any excess moisture. Leave to cool.

Remove the beetroot from the oven and leave to cool slightly, then drain off the cooking liquid. Using gloves, peel off the skin while still warm. If there are any gritty bits or bits of skin still sticking to the beetroot, rinse gently under cold water. Cut the beetroot into wedges and put in a bowl. Pour over the raspberry vinegar and lemon juice to taste, then leave to one side.

Toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for a few minutes, until they turn golden. Roll the nuts in a clean tea towel to remove the skins. Season with a little salt and crush into pieces.

Scatter the cooked spelt on a large serving plate and sprinkle with the wild dill pollen, if using. Lift the beetroot out of the raspberry vinegar using a slotted spoon and place on top of the spelt, then scatter with the salad leaves, goat’s curd and hazelnuts. Drizzle the rest of the vinegar over the top, if you like, or serve separately.