Courgette, Spelt & Butter Bean Salad

Golden courgettes, nutty spelt and creamy butter beans, with green olives, pistachios and plenty of parsley. Phoebe’s salad brings everything together in a lemon and garlic dressing, with extra virgin olive oil doing its bit from the saucepan to the final pour.

Start by toasting the spelt in olive oil before simmering it. That little bit of extra attention brings out its nutty flavour. Give the courgettes time to turn golden at the edges, then toss everything through the dressing.

Serve it on its own for lunch, alongside fish, or in a generous bowl for the table.

Recipe by @the_breakfast_room.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 100g dried spelt
• 300ml vegetable stock or water
• 1 green courgette
• 1 yellow courgette
• 200g butter beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup green olives
• ⅓ cup pistachios
• A large handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil for cooking, plus extra to finish
• Salt

For the dressing

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• A good pinch of salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the dried spelt and toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring regularly, until nutty and fragrant and the grains have started to turn slightly darker.
2. Add the vegetable stock or water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25–30 minutes, or until the spelt is tender but still has a little bite. Drain any excess liquid and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, chop the courgettes into chunky pieces. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the courgettes and a good pinch of salt. Cook for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and caramelised at the edges while still retaining some bite.
4. Roughly chop the olives and parsley.
5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
6. Add the butter beans, olives, spelt, courgettes, parsley and pistachios. Toss until everything is well coated.
7. Finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil and serve.