I've been enjoying making wheat berry salads this fall and have an ingredient combo that I think is worth sharing. It's great for late fall veggies. I also think it could also be fun at Christmas, since it ends up being red and green.
Here's from my lunch today
1) Cook up some wheat berries. If you've never done this - just cook them at a low boil in salted water for about 1 hour, until they are tender but chewy. Drain in a colander. Wheat berries don't expand a ton when cooking, but they are very filling. I usually make about 2 cups for a family dinner salad plus a couple of lunches. (Alright, actually I make 3 cups, but that's just because we want them left over for lunch all week long.)
2) Make a vinegar dressing of your choosing. I like 1/2 sherry vinegar + 1/2 balsamic vinegar, and then I shake a little olive oil on top. I don't use a lot of oil. I don't find that the wheat berries taste dry at all, and I just don't find the oil very necessary. I'm generally not a big salad dressing person, so I probably used maybe 1/2 cup of dressing total for 2 cups of raw wheat berries. Start with a smaller amount, and then add more to taste if you need it. The dressing ends up pulling the ingredients together, but not really being a flavor itself (ie, the salad doesn't taste like vinegar). Toss the wheat berries with the dressing while they are still warm, and they'll absorb the vinegar a bit, so your salad isn't wet from dressing.
3) Roast some beets. Maybe 4-5 smallish ones. Double wrap small whole beets or 2-3" pieces of larger beets in aluminum foil. Place on a pan you don't care too much about (or triple wrap your beets), and roast at 375-400 degrees F for 1 hour or so, until beets are tender. If you like some more caramelization, roast at a higher temp at the end, or for longer. When the beets have cooled a bit, peel them, cut off any dried out previously-cut edges, and chop into ~1/2" cubes (or whatever size you want). Add them to the wheat berries.
4) Caramelize some onions - 1-4 of them depending on how big they are and how much you like onions. Cut onions in half lengthwise, then slide cross-wise to get half-rings. Cook them in a pan with some olive oil and salt, low and slow, with the lid on, stirring occasionally, until they are sweet and browning. Or forget about them and cook them until they are pretty darned brown. It doesn't matter too much - they're onions and by definition will be good! Add them to the wheat berries and beets.
5) Saute some kale, probably about one bunch or whatever you can take from your garden that day. Cut out the stems of the kale, and chop the leaves roughly into 1/2 - 1" pieces. I usually cook the kale in the same pan I use for the onions, after I take the onions out. Add a little more olive oil, throw in your cut kale and sprinkle with salt. Turn and stir a few times to distribute the oil. Put on a lid to steam the kale a little Turn kale every minute or two. Don't let it burn! Cook until the kale is brighter green and a bit more tender, but not mushy. Add the kale to the wheat berries, beets, and onions.
6) Toast walnuts - probably about 3/4-1 c of walnuts. However you like to toast nuts. I do mine in the toaster oven. Add them to the wheat berries, beets, onions, and kale.
7) Cube some smoked gouda. To taste. I like cheese, and rely on its flavor in place of dressing a lot with salads, so I use a lot. Probably about 3/4 - 1 c. of 1/2" cubed smoked gouda. Add that to the wheat berries, beets, onions, kale, and walnuts. Mmm, now doesn't that sound good!
Let everything sit for a bit to blend the flavors together, and then enjoy.
- The cheese and onions turn pink from the beets, but whatever.
- You can get wheat berries at pretty much any grocery store that sells whole grains. Or I suggest making sure you have some extra space in your suitcase the next time you go to PA and then buying wheat berries at Echo Hill, where they are $0.47/lb.
Aleks was skeptical the first time I described my idea for this salad to him, but now he describes it as "amazing" and "money." I had some for lunch today along with a bowl of sweet potato and butternut squash soup out on the deck enjoying our El Nino November. Absolutely perfect fall lunch.
Enjoy!
-Maggie
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