Method

• 1.
  Pour 1 litre of the stock and the spelt into a big pot. Bring to the boil and then simmer until the spelt is cooked – it should have softened but still be nutty. Packet instructions will help but let your palate decide. If the spelt starts looking dry during cooking add more stock. Allow at least half an hour for cooking the spelt.

• 2.
  In a frying pan melt the butter and fry the bacon dice and the leeks on a medium heat until they start to catch and burn at the edges. Leave the bacon out if you are feeding vegetarians, as they tend to get offended by it. The burny leeks will give this grain salad some sweetness and some bitterness. Using butter will make you feel decadent, which is good. Take the leeks and the bacon out and reserve.
• 3.
  Toast the pepitas in the leek pan until they are crunchy, nutty and a few are golden. Watch they don’t burn.
• 4.
  Blanch the cauliflower florets by dunking them in boiling water for a minute or so. Reserve.
• 5.
  Smash the macadamias. I use the bottom of my frying pan ’cos I’m a rebel, but you might like to be neat and put them in a ziplock bag and then bash them with a rolling pin. You want chunks of macadamias, not dust, so don’t go into a nut-crushing frenzy remembering your last boyfriend.
• 6.
  I like smoking the mayo by mixing it with a few drops of liquid smoke, or even adding a finely chopped and reconstituted chipotle chilli with its intense smoky flavour.
• 7.
  When the spelt is cooked, drain it and place on a large platter. Stir in the celery, leeks, cauliflower, spring onions, pepitas and nuts. Season with salt flakes. Dollop on the mayo in splotches, drip over the maple syrup and place nasturtiums leaves between the splotches. Serve.