Spelt with blackberries, beetroot, walnuts and buttermilk recipe

I started out making a Scandinavian dish here but because blackberries are so loved in Georgia I went off on another tack, adding a bit of heat. This is really excellent with salmon – either fresh or hot-smoked – and mackerel.

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 35 minutes

SERVES

6 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

• 150g pearled spelt

• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar

• Salt and pepper

• 1/2 red onion, very finely sliced

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• 35g walnut pieces

• 2 cooked beetroots, cut into matchsticks

• 150g blackberries

• 1 tbsp chopped dill fronds

• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

For the dressing:

• 200ml buttermilk

• A smidgen Dijon mustard

• A pinch of caster sugar

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

METHOD

1. Cook the spelt in boiling water until tender (20-25 minutes). Drain and run cold water through it. Shake off the excess water and put it into a serving bowl with 2 tbsp of the regular olive oil, the lemon, vinegar and seasoning.

2. Make the buttermilk dressing by mixing everything together. Taste for seasoning.

3. Heat the rest of the regular olive oil and cook the onion until it has just lost its rawness, then add the spices and cook for another two minutes. Add this to the spelt, then toast the walnut pieces in the same pan for a minute or so, until they smell aromatic. Tip them into the bowl along with the other ingredients and gently toss together.

4. Drizzle with some of the buttermilk dressing (offer the rest in a small jug) and serve.