Speltotto Kedgeree with Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Kale

Speltotto Kedgeree with Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Kale

My former boss and founder of the famed TV smallholding River Cottage coined the rather wonderful term 'speltotto' when referring to risottos made with spelt in place of rice. Pearled spelt works in the same way as risotto rice, but offers a nutty flavour and a more robust texture. It works beautifully in this dish, absorbing the spices and providing a starchy base on which the sustainably caught pollack can rest.

Ingredients

Spring · Serves 4

  • 4

    organic and/or free-range eggs

  • 100g (3½oz)

    kale

  • a large knob of grass-fed butter

  • a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

  • 1

    onion, finely sliced

  • 1

    leek, finely sliced

  • 2

    garlic cloves, finely sliced

  • 1 small

    dried red chilli

  • 1 tsp

    ground turmeric

  • 1½ tbsp

    medium hot curry powder

  • ½ tsp

    ground ginger

  • 200g (7oz)

    pearled spelt or pearl barley

  • 750ml

    hot vegetable stock

  • 500g (1lb 2oz)

    sustainably caught smoked pollack or haddock, skinned and cut into 2–3cm (¾–1¼in) chunks

  • 100g (3½oz)

    purple sprouting broccoli

  • a small bunch

    parsley, roughly chopped

  • a few

    spring onions, finely chopped

  • flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Buy available ingredients
Recipe image

Buy available ingredients

Mr Organic, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 100% Italian

Mr Organic, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 100% Italian

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Mr Organic, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 100% Italian

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Method

Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil, carefully lower the eggs into the pan and simmer for 7–8 minutes. Once cooked, lift the eggs out of the pan and run them under cold water to stop the cooking. Lightly crack and peel off the shells (under a gently running cool tap), then cut in half lengthways and set to one side.

Strip the leaves from the kale stalks and give them a rinse. Slice the stalks into 1cm (½in) pieces. Roughly shred the leaves and set them aside.

Set a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium–high heat. Add a small knob of butter and a drizzle of olive oil. When the butter is bubbling away, add the kale stalks, onion, leek, garlic, dried chilli and a pinch of salt, and cook gently, stirring regularly, for 5–6 minutes. Don't let them colour. Once the veg have softened, add the ground spices and stir for around a minute.

Rinse the pearled spelt and add it to the pan, giving everything a good stir. Start adding the hot stock a couple of ladlefuls at a time, stirring regularly as you go. When you've used up half the stock, add the smoked fish, purple sprouting broccoli and the shredded kale leaves. Stir well and add more stock. Continue to cook the spelt, fish and vegetables for a few more minutes, until the fish and broccoli are cooked through.

Stir in another generous knob of butter, along with the parsley and spring onions. Adjust the consistency with a splash more stock if necessary (it should be slightly loose) and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the kedgeree into bowls, arranging the sliced eggs on top, then dive in.

Photography by Matt Austin · Recipe by Abby Allen for The Farm Kitchen
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