Griddled Peach, Burrata and Spelt Salad – Laura Tilt
There’s plenty of nutrients for your gut microbes in this salad too, thanks to the fibre-rich spelt - a nutty tasting grain which forms the base - and one of my seasonal favourites; juicy peaches. Choosing less typical grains like spelt is a great way to add more diversity to your diet - which in turn can support the diversity of your gut microbiome.
Colourful fruits and vegetables like peaches, basil and olive oil are also a source of polyphenols - natural pigments which specifically feed beneficial microbes living in the gut. Sounds good? Let’s get cooking…
Tip: If you wanted to make this a vegan salad, you could switch out the burrata with a cashew cheese.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10
Cook time: 20
Ingredients
For the salad
200 grams spelt (or pearled spelt)
Olive oil to drizzle
Salt and pepper
4 ripe (but still firm-ish) peaches - if they are too soft, they will quickly become mushy when grilled. You can also use nectarines.
50 grams skin on almonds
100 grams rocket or watercress
150- 200 grams Burrata
For the dressing
A handful of basil leaves
Juice of half a lemon
1-2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt and black pepper
Large platter for serving
Method
Rinse the spelt under cold water. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the spelt and cook for 20 minutes, or according to pack instructions. Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again and then stir through a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Set to one side.
Whilst the spelt is cooking, prepare the rest of your ingredients, starting with the peaches. Run a knife around the middle starting from the stem and then gently twist to pull apart. Twist the pit to remove and discard. Brush each peach with a little olive oil. Heat a griddle pan and griddle the peaches face down for 2-3 minutes until caramelised and marked with the griddle. Repeat on the other side then lift onto a plate to catch the lovely juices and set aside.
Next, make your dressing. Pop the basil, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a blender and blitz to a ‘pourable’ consistency - you may need a little more olive oil or lemon juice.
Lastly, toast the almonds in a dry pan until they smell fragrant, then transfer to a chopping board and roughly chop.
You’re now ready to assemble your salad - do this just before you are ready to serve. Layer up the grains and the greens then arrange the peaches on top - sliced or in their halves - your choice. Drizzle over any juices from the peaches. Tear the burrata over the top, then scatter over the nuts and finally drizzle over the dressing.