April 03, 2013 - 12:09 BST hellomagazine.com Tom Aiken's spelt risotto with cepes and walnuts GALLERY Ingredients 400g spelt washed 2 carrots, peeled and split in half 2 onions 3 shallots, peeled 6 cloves garlic, split 6g sprigs thyme 20g parsley stalks 3 bay leavesMethod Wash the barley under cold water and place the barley into a pan, cover with cold water and bring to a simmer, drain wash and rinse in cold water. Place back into a clean pan with the split carrots, onions, shallots, garlic, thyme, parsley and bay leaves then bring it back to a simmer. This will need to simmer for approx 45 minutes till tender, leave this too cool in the liquor so they take on more flavour and add 2g salt, its best if the veg is left in for a day as the pearl barley will take on more flavour.Brown butter 500g butter, diced 15g thyme 4 bayleaves 8 cloves garlic, bashed Place the butter onto heat with the garlic and turn to a nut brown, then add all the herbs and leave to infuse for 8 hrs in a warm place, then pass keeping all the sediment. Leave in a warm place.To finish the barley 400g shallots peeled and finely diced 2g chopped parsley 2g cèpe powder 2g chopped chervil 30g crème fraiche 30g grated Parmesan 50ml truffle oil 50g butter 2g salt + 8 turns of milled pepper 50ml lemon juice Place a small pan onto a medium heat adding the butter, add the chopped shallots and cook for a couple of minutes till just tender with the seasoning, add the cooked pearl barley and 300ml of the cooking liquor and reduce by 2/3rds. Add the crème fraiche to the barley with the cepe powder, grated Parmesan, lemon juice and the fresh herbs, check the seasoning. Cèpes Picked thyme leaves Maldon salt Cèpe dressing Milled pepper Olive oil Butter These are thinly sliced then cooked in a hot pan in olive oil then butter, add seasoning, then the thyme leaves at the end, then drain in a colander, then once they are all cooked then mix enough dressing through the cepes to keep them moist. Toasted walnuts Place the walnuts into a oven at 180c and toast till golden brown then chop roughly, this is used for garnish.Walnut oil 200g toasted walnuts 250ml olive oil Toast the walnuts well then blitz with the oil and puree till smooth.Butternut sage and honey sauce 400g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes 4g fresh sage, finely chopped 4g sprigs Rosemary 50g unsalted butter 8g sea salt 60g honey 150ml single cream 500ml chicken stock 100ml lemon juice Heat a pan on a low heat then add the butter so it just melts, add the squash along with the sage, rosemary, sea salt and honey. Cover with a lid so the vegetables sweat and cook for 10-12 mins on a low heat, stir the vegetables now and again so they don’t brown. Add the stock and cream and bring the soup to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the rosemary and sage then ladle the soup in to the blender jug only fill it ½ full then blend the soup for 2-3 minute still smooth, pass through a fine sieve. Makes 1.2 litres Cèpe dressing 1 Kilo frozen cèpes defrosted and sliced thinly and dried 800g banana shallots thinly sliced 24 cloves garlic thinly sliced 60g thyme 750ml Maderia 750ml Balsamic vinegar 40g course sea salt 30 turns of milled pepper 3 litres of olive oil Turn the bratt pan onto full and add 400ml of olive oil, once hot add the cepes with ½ the salt and pepper, cook till golden and caramelised. After approx 15 minutes, add the shallots, garlic and thyme. Cook this again till golden and caramelised, with the remaining salt and pepper. Add the maderia next and reduce to approx 200ml then add the balsamic vinegar. Reduce again to 200ml then add the remaining olive oil and bring to a simmer, cook at a simmer for ten minutes stirring now and again. Place into a container to cool then into the fridge for a week so the flavour improves. Stir this every other day then puree it all in a kitchen blender till smooth and pass through a fine sieve.Assembly3 sorrel leaves stalk cut out Pearl Barley risotto Cooked cèpes Cèpe dressing Toasted walnuts Pumpkin sauce Brown butter Place the raw sorrel leaves into the bottom of the plate and then the risotto on top around the sauce, and on top the cepes, walnuts and brown butter Thanks to Sharpham Park's Great British Spelt Recipes campaign with Bowel Cancer UK greatbritishspeltrecipes.com