In his book, Roots, chef and restauranteur Tommy Banks describes the joy of eating with the seasons and the importance of foraging and preserving food during the Hunger Gap, the cold months between January and May where fresh British produce is literally thin on the ground. I’m a huge fan of the ethos of celebrating nature, seasons and the land at his restaurants Roots and the Black Swan.
I’ve adapted this recipe from the book to utilise spelt, rye and oats, a common rotation in agro-ecology. As plants grow they take up nutrients from the soil, which must be replaced to keep the soil viable. Compost and an annual rotation of cash crops like wheat and corn, less profitable crops and ‘green manure’, a mix of plants grown for ground cover and replacing nutrients, keep the soil healthy enough to continue growing food. For example, spelt or wheat is often grown in rotation with rye and clover. Ancient grains like spelt and rye need a lot less water and chemical inputs than more commercial grains like common wheat or rice to grow well, even when non-organic.
This is a sturdy, wintery and economical dish with the wonderful, nutty bite of spelt and a smoky sweet onion broth, finished with a soft, creamy, lemon-fresh tang of goats curd – I used White Lake Cheese, an award-winning, artisanal producer based in Somerset using innovative, regenerative grass-fed livestock techniques, renewable energy and currently in the midst of a big hedge-laying project. I heard about them through Emergent Generation, but you can check them out here.
Onion broth (makes about 500ml, plus onions)
Onions, like most alliums, are great for supporting a healthy immune system – an old remedy for colds and flu recommends fermenting onion in honey with a splash of water, then taking the resulting syrup in a hot mug of strong tea or with a shot of whiskey. They’re cheap, keep well and they’re well-suited to companion planting: the pretty white or lilac pompom flowers are loved by pollinators and ladybirds, which help control aphids.
You can even ferment the skins with sugar in a 1:1 ratio to make a natural fungicide for roses or courgettes, the latter being an awesome if overly prolific crop if you’re looking to grow something yourself – they are susceptible to mildew in late summer, so this really helps them keep the mould off and the smell scares the slugs away as a bonus. I picked up this trick from Emma Restorick, head gardener at the Prideaux Walled Garden; she used wild garlic but a mix of onion, leek and garlic peelings would work well too. Rub the sugar into the veg peelings to start breaking them down and release their water, if they’re dry like onion or garlic skins you may need to top up with fresh water. Allow to ferment for 4-6 weeks, then dilute 1-2tsp of the liquid in a 10l watering can. The ferment will keep for ages and you can compost the onion skins after.
- 600ml water
- 8 pieces of dried mushrooms
- 2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 500g white onions, sliced
- 2tsp treacle or blackstrap molasses
- A splash of soy sauce
- Salt and pepper
Bring the water to the boil in a small saucepan and add the mushrooms. Remove the pan from the heat, cover with a lid and allow to steep for 20 minutes before straining through a fine sieve into a jug. Remove the soaked mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions. Season well with salt and pepper, then sweat over a medium-low heat until the onions are translucent. Add the treacle and increase the heat to medium. Keep scraping up the onions as they caramelise and stick to the bottom of the pan until the mixture is dark, sticky and sweet. Add the soy sauce, allowing it to boil away almost entirely before adding the mushroom stock. Simmer slowly for half an hour, then strain through a fine sieve. Set the onions aside with the mushrooms.
- 50g finely diced parsnip, swede or celeriac
- 1 small Jerusalem artichoke or parsnip, finely diced
- 50g leafy green leek tops, washed and finely sliced
- 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
- 80g pearled spelt or barley
- 150g flaked rye or oats
- 100g goats curd (the dish is vegan without the cheese if you’d prefer. I also love this with cultured cashew cream, available through Riverford, or try oat crème fraiche)
- The onions and mushrooms from the broth
- Chives or other herb of choice. Chive or wild garlic flowers look stunning if you’ve grown your own and want to make it look a bit cheffy
- 25g toasted mixed seeds fried in 1tsp soy sauce; hemp, chia, pumpkin and sunflower work well here
I’ve deliberately left the list of ingredients pretty vague to fit whatever’s grown locally in your area or whatever you like to eat best. You can use mostly parsnip for a sweeter, creamier dish or mostly swede for something with a bit more pep to it, it’s up to you to have a play around.
Place a large, heavy saucepan over a low-medium heat and add a good drizzle of olive oil to coat the base of the pan. Add your choice of veg and sweat gently for 5 minutes without colouring. Add the spelt and 500ml onion broth along with the mushrooms and a generous spoonful of onions. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30-45 minutes, until the spelt begins to soften. You may need to top up with more water during the cooking time, adding a small pinch of salt each time you do this to build depth and layers of flavour.
Add the flaked rye or oats and continue to cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the risottage (risotto/porridge?) begins to thicken. Melt in the cheese, if using, and add a touch more boiling water to thin it out to a loose, silky smooth consistency. Season well with salt and lemon juice, if needed, then ladle into wide pasta bowls topped with the chopped herbs and toasted seeds.
Any leftovers (if there are any) will happily wait in the fridge for up to three days – gently reheat with a splash of water or milk to loosen. The onion broth freezes very successfully and can take the place of veg stock in any recipe, or it can be a soup in its own right! Top with grated cheese and place the bowl under the grill until bubbling, or if this seems dangerous you can melt the cheese on sourdough toast for the ultimate soup and toastie. Gruyere is the traditional French choice, but I prefer locally-made Ogleshield. Any goats curd leftover from the recipe is pretty spectacular for this too.
If you do have any goats cheese and caramelised onions left over, lucky you! Try spreading a dollop around in the bottom of a serving bowl and topping with roasted beetroot and a spoonful of the onions, drizzling with chilli honey and olive oil to finish. Or apply a liberal amount of curd to sourdough toast and sprinkle with winter salad leaves like radicchio or endive and some more of the toasted soy seeds for a tasty brunch to rival avocado toast for a fraction of the cost and air miles. Add a poached egg for extra points.