This week’s box is full of things that are great for stews and braises – leeks, mushrooms, potatoes, celeriac – and to add to that, $30 boxes this week include a portion of certified organic spelt “berries” from Kindred Organics. Spelt is a grain closely related to wheat and has been cultivated by humans since around 5000BC. It’s commonly ground to produce flour, but what’s included in boxes this week is the pure, unprocessed form of the grain, and is rich in fibre and other nutrients. There’s nothing to stop you from grinding it into flour, but probably the best way to use it is an addition to make soups and stews even more hearty – cooking for a long time will break down the tough outer husk and also allow the grain to absorb the rich flavours of a slow braise – although it can also be cooked using the same basic method as brown rice. Be warned: this is not “pearled” spelt, so any recipes that call for this will feature a cooking time that’s way shorter than what will be required!
