

Alexandra Dudley’s Working Lunch
STAYING IN

Roast Carrot Spelt Herb Salad With Hazelnuts & Feta
I had a real rice bowl phase for a few weeks, and have been trying to mix it up with different grains. Spelt is a deliciously nutty grain with a good bite, and it feels a bit more robust than rice, meaning it can handle big flavours well. This is packed with lots of herbs as well as creamy feta and roast carrots spiked with paprika. It keeps well too.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Toss the carrots with a good glug of olive oil, pinch of salt, the paprika and cumin on a roasting tray. Cook for 30-35 minutes until cooked through and browned.
For the dressing, toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan over a low-medium heat until they begin to smell fragrant. Crush slightly, then combine with the remaining dressing ingredients in a large bowl.
Add the cooked spelt, carrots, chopped spinach and herbs to the dressing. Toss well, then crumble in the feta and add most of the hazelnuts. Toss again, transfer to bowls and top with the remaining hazelnuts.
GOING OUT
Nina, Marylebone
Nina went straight to the top of my go-to list when I saw it had a menu of mini-martinis. It’s the newest opening from the Pachamama group, and has taken the original Pachamama site in Marylebone. The vibe is cool Italia meets industrial chic, with exposed brick, leopard-print curtains and martinis named after cigarettes. I went for one glass of Stirling (vodka or gin with vermouth and an olive) – it was lunch, after all. Nina offers a concise and confident menu featuring plates of aged parmigiano reggiano and house focaccia to start, followed by sections of crudo, pastas and mains such as lamb chops alla scottadito, and chicken milanese with parmesan butter. My advice is to order at least two pastas to share, and make sure one is the duck ragu bianco. For pudding, get the stracciatella burnt cheesecake. You will not regret it.
Visit NINA.LONDON
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