Though many of us might wish we had the time and money for delicious meat and fish-based packed lunches every day, the reality is that hardy grain-based dishes are far better suited to a lunchbox, sitting happily under a desk for a few hours without refrigeration. Here are some combinations we’ve been enjoying recently.
• Inspired by Hemsley and Hemsley’s delicious quinoa risotto in The Art of Eating Well, we have been making batches of our own versions to take to work the next day– quinoa seems to hold its texture well and doesn’t go sloppy. Make some chicken or veg stock, then gradually add to a pan of quinoa and onion that’s been quickly fried in olive oil. Go green by adding lots of seasonal asparagus and broad beans, with tarragon, lemon juice and a cheeky grating of pecorino; or go red with halved cherry tomatoes; peppers, and red onion with a splash of white wine and some basil.
• Make some zingy couscous salads with avocado, feta, lime, cucumber, red onion and whole almonds. Fresh herbs are obviously a great addition, but if you don’t have any to hand, just make sure to add plenty of olive oil and lemon juiceand to your salads. Sliced olives or pomegranate seeds will add plenty of contrasting zing.
• Barley is a grateful recipient of leftovers and revitalised fridge lurkers. Roast some red onion, peppers and carrot with honey and garlic until caramelised, then stir into cooked barley while warm. Other great combinations are is green beans sautéed in butter and garlic, or flaked mackerel with cherry tomatoes.
• Bulgur is also an excellent and filling base, working well to soak up the lovely rich juices produced from roasting veg. Tomatoes and peppers work especially well: just roast with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little thyme until caramelised, then mixed into your cooked bulgur (cook in boiling water for around 15 minutes, or until done). Alternatively, add frozen peas to your just-cooked bulgur (the residual heat will thaw them, so no need to cook) and a dressing of grated ginger, olive oil, a tiny splash of sesame oil, a more generous splash of soy sauce and lots of lime juice.
• Sometimes it can be hard to hit your five-a-day: if you want every bit of your lunch to count towards your veg quota then you can fake it to make it. It’s not a grain, but if you roughly chop a cauliflower, then whizz it up in a food processor, it will sort of resemble one (credit and thanks to the genius Felicity Cloake for this idea). Fry your cauliflower ‘grains’ in a little olive oil until softened. You could do this with broccoli, or romanesco, too. Season and add lemon zest to taste. Top with a generous portion of spinach (or other seasonal greens), sautéed with olive oil and sliced garlic, and a dollop of yoghurt or creme fraiche. A small sprinkling of chilli flakes or a squidge of chilli sauce would give a nice little kick as a finishing touch.
