This tangy trout & spelt berry salad is the perfect dish for these warm summer evenings.

Method

Step 1

Soak the spelt berries overnight in water. The next day, drain and rinse. Bring a pot of water to the boil and add the spelt. Simmer for one hour or until cooked (they should be soft but with a pleasantly chewy bite). Drain and allow to cool before placing in a large salad bowl.

Step 2

In a pan over a medium heat, gently soften the cubed fennel in several tablespoons of olive oil. Once soft and lightly browned, remove and drain on kitchen paper. To the same pan, add the fish fillets, flesh-side-down, and cook for a minute then turn and cook the skin side for four to five minutes. Allow to cool slightly with the skin-side-down on some kitchen paper.

Step 3

Remove the shallot from the vinegar and toss into the salad bowl with the fennel cubes. Mix the remaining vinegar with two parts olive oil into a dressing, add the finely chopped dill and season with sea salt, crushed pink peppercorns and lemon juice to taste. Dress the salad with half of the dressing, reserving the other half.

Step 4

Top the salad with the cooked samphire, watercress and parsley leaves. Flake the trout flesh into the salad. Drizzle with a little extra dressing and serve with the remaining dressing on the side.