Saffron Spelt Pilaff

3 ingredients: Sharpham Park Spelt, infused saffron & chicken stock

This is a wonderful store cupboard supper, made with minimal work. 

I would be surprised if this took any longer than 5 minutes of actual work.  The crucial ingredient here is a fabulous chicken stock.  It is so easy to have chicken stock on tap, if you simply organise procuring some excellent chicken carcasses or use up your old chicken bones.  In these days of what I now hear termed as 'austerity chic'; or plain common sense as our mother's and grandmother's would see it, there would be a bowl of chicken stock on the pantry shelf.

Spelt is a grain which is a member of the wheat family, but older, an ancient cousin in fact.  For those who have an intolerance to wheat are often able to digest spelt more easily.  A highly nutritious grain with a low glycaemic index, it will keep your blood sugar sustained and your hunger at bay.

So this recipe below, is as always but a suggestion, with so much more one could add to make it a meal itself.  I served this with some garlic & thyme chicken and a chicory salad.  The spelt is a very comforting grain.  In the winter I use it as an addition to root vegetable broth, or one could use it in a risotto.

This serves 2 big portions

Method  

• One mug of spelt grain
• Two mugs of chicken stock (fresh preferably, but cube is fine)
• A pinch of saffron
• A glug of olive oil
• Seasoning

1. Infuse the saffron in some chicken stock 
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the spelt grain to coat each grain evenly
3. Add the saffon infused chicken stock and bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the grain has absorbed all the stock.
4. Serve.  

You could add handfuls of fresh herbs

How easy was that?