Wheatberry salad with roasted squash

Vegetarian mains

Wheatberry salad with roasted squash

Name: Wheatberry salad with roasted squash
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4

Side Serves 4 1h 5 min

This warm salad is ready in under an hour and makes a texture-rich vegetarian main course. If you don't have wheatberries, spelt, farro or pearl barley are all good substitues. Use this as a base for adding odds and ends - toasted chopped nuts, pine nuts or seeds all work a treat, as do roasted beetroot and feta.

Ingredients

400g wheatberries (wheat grain - or use spelt, farro or barley)
1 large or 2 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
olive oil
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
small knob of butter
4 leeks, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
200g mushrooms, sliced
4 sage leaves, shredded
100ml veg stock
2 small or 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
large handful fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Method

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 50 min

Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
Step 2
Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the wheatberries and cook for 45 minutes or so, until tender but still chewy.
Step 3
Toss the diced squash in enough oil to coat, with half the thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, until tender.
Step 4
Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan. Fry the leeks for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
Step 5
Add the mushrooms, the rest of the thyme and the sage. Season. Fry until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates.
Step 6
Add 100ml veg stock. Stir for 2 minutes.
Step 7
Drain the wheatberries and toss into the mix with the squash, grated carrot and parsley. Check the seasoning and serve.