Alison Roman’s Spelt and Pea Salad with Preserved Lemon
This bright salad by Alison Roman brings together the best of Spring produce and serves it over a bed of lemony yoghurt. Make this as a side dish for Easter or enjoy on a sunny picnic.
Introduction
I am guilty of giving more attention to beans and grains in the winter months, combining them with warming broth, lots of cheese and other things that make me say the word ‘cosy’. One major exception to this is my love for perfectly cooked, lightly chewy, still-a-little-squeaky spelt, brightly dressed and mixed with the vague-but-evocative category of ‘spring vegetables’: perky green things like peas, thinly sliced asparagus or tiny tender little sprouts and shoots. This salad is fresh and vibrant, a reminder that grains (and beans) also love to be seen alongside tins of fish or poached chicken for what could only be called ‘a sensible lunch’ (great phrase), enjoyed with an iced tea on a little patch of grass in the sun. Buried beneath the pile of grains, there’s a gorgeous dollop of preserved lemon yoghurt, which is good on a number of things, lending rich fattiness and refreshing tanginess. Yoghurt, especially when bolstered by a good bit of salty preserved lemon, really does it all.
Ingredients
| 300g (10½ oz/2 cups) | shelled garden peas (fresh or frozen) |
| 450g (1 lb/2 cups) | pearled or semi-pearled spelt (farro), wheatberries or barley |
| 2 | garlic cloves, finely grated |
| 25g (1 oz/½ cup) | finely chopped chives |
| 4 tbsp | fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed |
| 2 tsp | fish sauce, plus more as needed (optional) |
| kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| 225g (8 oz) | sugar snap peas, halved lengthways |
| 2 handfuls of | pea shoots, dill or parsley, tender leaves and stems |
| 2 tbsp | olive oil, plus more for drizzling |
| 185g (6½ oz/¾ cup) | full-fat Greek yoghurt or labneh |
| ½ | preserved lemon, seeded, finely chopped |
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the peas and cook until tender and bright green, 1–3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or small strainer, transfer the peas to a large bowl to cool, leaving the water behind (you’ll use it to cook the grains); set aside.
Add the spelt to the pot and boil until tender and cooked through (cook according to package instructions). Drain the spelt, running it under cool water for a minute or so before adding to the peas.
Add the garlic, chives, 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and the fish sauce (if using) to the grains. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat everything evenly. Taste and season with more lemon juice, salt, pepper or fish sauce as needed to make sure the grains taste adequately flavourful – garlicky, lemony, salty.
Add the sliced snap peas, pea shoots and olive oil and toss to coat; set aside.
Combine the yoghurt, preserved lemon and the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Spoon into the bottom of a large serving bowl or platter, spreading a bit to create a sort of base layer of yoghurt on which to place the salad. Top with the spelt salad, making sure some of the peas and pea shoots get on top (we eat with our eyes!). Drizzle with a little more olive oil before serving.
Do ahead: The spelt can be dressed (sans peas and pea shoots) 2 days ahead, stored wrapped and refrigerated. Preserved lemon yoghurt can be made 5 days ahead, stored wrapped and refrigerated.
Eat with: Bring on a picnic and eat for lunch with a few tins of fish. Or have for dinner next to Slow-Roasted Salmon with Preserved Lemon & Sesame (page 303 of Something From Nothing), Saucy, Wine-Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms (page 269) or Steak Like Tartare (page 293).
Reviews
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