Speedy, seedy spelt bread

Bread may be my kryponite, my Achilles heel, my Watergate.  When faced with a warm loaf, my willpower blows away like the chaff from the wheat.  Bread recipes are the same.  Almost as good as tasting the bread, is reading about making it.  At least I try to rationalize the baking, so if I've spent the time mixing, kneading, and rising the loaf, then at least I've earned my daily bread.  

And so I obsess about different grains.  White, whole wheat, rye, buckwheat -- flours by the dozen.   A bag of spelt flour I had knocking around finally inspired me this morning and I decided I needed to use it.  I can't take credit for originating this recipe, which came from the Telegraph (found online -- not a regular reader) but I will certainly be using it again.

The article promises a gorgeous, seeded loaf with no kneading and no rising time.  Bread in 3 minutes sounds too good to be true.  But it isn't.  It's very good, and very true.  I guess I'll have to find another rationalization.

1 lb 2 oz/500g spelt flour

2 sachets/10g fast acting yeast

1/2 tsp salt

2 oz/50g sunflower seeds

2 oz/50g linseeds

2 oz/50g sesame seeds

17 oz/500 ml warm water

Pre-heat oven to 200c/400f.

Mix all dry ingredients, then add water and mix well.  Shape dough into an oiled loaf pan and bake for about an hour.  (Or let the bread rise overnight in a cool place for a slightly lighter result.) Remove loaf, take out of pan, and put it back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

Grilled mushroom, broccoli and spelt salad

I can't take all the credit for this yummy salad. The original recipe, on which this is based, is from the side of a box of spelt from Trader Joe's, and was so good that my mother had to send the box to me in London. And yes, the original is mighty tasty, but I can't leave a recipe alone so this is my slightly simplified, but still amazing, version of the dish.

Note: the original calls for portobello mushrooms. One of the great marketing coups of our time, portobello mushrooms are nothing but giant -- and far more expensive -- versions of brown button or (crimini) mushroom. The portobello is the little mushroom's fully grown older brother who lives at home and siphons money off his parents. Ahem. If there is a culinary reason to use a portobello, like stuffing or grilling, or using it in a portobello "burger", then by all means buy them instead. If, however, the recipe calls for them to be cut up at all, then there is no reason not to use the smaller and less expensive button.

1 C. spelt

3 C. chicken or vegetable stock

5 T. olive oil

3 T. balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

2 fat spring onions (or 4 skinny), thinly sliced

1/4 C. dried cherries, chopped

1/2 C. toasted cashews, chopped

2 C. sliced brown mushrooms

2 C. broccoli, chopped into small florets

1/2 C. fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

Place the spelt and stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then lower temperature and let simmer for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until spelt is soft but still chewy and liquid is absorbed. Stir towards the end to prevent the spelt from sticking or burning.

Meanwhile, mix oil, balsamic, garlic, spring onions, cherries, and cashews. Saute the mushrooms until they begin to turn golden and then add to the dressing. Cook the broccoli in the same pan just to soften a bit, if desired.

Add spelt to dressing and vegetables, add parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4