The earthiness of the rye berries and breadcrumbs are paired with leeks and boiled eggs here for a warm salad packed with flavour
Diana Henry The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer
Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
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Published
You can use whole baby leeks for this if you prefer (leave them whole – three to four per person), and go for a soft-boiled egg instead of hard.
Requires soaking time overnight.
Overview
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
40 mins
Serves
4
as a starter or light main course
Ingredients
- 200g rye berries, soaked overnight and drained
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil, plus a little extra for the leeks
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus a little extra for the leeks
- 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- small bunch dill, roughly chopped (discard the stalks)
- 25g walnut halves, toasted and very roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp stale, coarse rye-bread crumbs
- 5 slim leeks
- 4 medium eggs
For the dressing:
- 1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil
- 4½ tbsp crème fraiche
- 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 4½ tbsp buttermilk
- pinch caster sugar
- about 1 tbsp finely chopped dill
Method
Step
Cook 200g rye berries in plenty of water for about 30 minutes. They will be tender but retain a little firmness in the centre.
Step
Drain well and add 3 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar and some seasoning. Taste – you’re going to add another dressing at the end but the grains need to taste good on their own.
Step
Fork through the roughly chopped dill and 25g toasted and chopped walnuts.
Step
Heat a frying pan and toast 2 tbsp rye breadcrumbs until you can smell that they’re toasted. Don’t burn them! Set aside.
Step
To make the dressing whisk 1½ tbsp olive or rapeseed oil into 4½ tbsp crème fraiche to break it down then add 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, 4½ tbsp buttermilk, a pinch of caster sugar, 1 tbsp finely chopped dill and season to taste. Set aside.
Step
Trim 5 slim leeks and remove any discoloured outer leaves. Cut each leek into four lengths and wash them. Steam until tender, about 7 minutes.
Step
Remove from the steamer, pat dry with a tea towel and put them in a bowl with seasoning, a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of oil. While the leeks are steaming boil 4 medium eggs for 7 minutes then run some cold water over them to cool.
Step
Divide the grains between four plates (or put them in a broad shallow bowl). Put the leeks on top, then shell the eggs, halve them and add to the bowl.
Step
Serve while still warm or at room temperature. Spoon the buttermilk dressing over and around the salad and sprinkle on the rye crumbs.