Great Grains: Healthy Inspiration for Side Dishes

It’s an old idea that has shot to the top of the "gotta eat it" list: grains. These nutrient- and fiber-rich staples in so many ancient cuisines have now become the bright stars in ours. Toss them with fresh vegetables, beans, fresh and dried fruits, herbs, and cheeses, then pull the combinations together with flavorful dressings. It’s move over everything: We’ve got our new centerpieces on our tables.

Grains are an easy escape from your day-to-day cooking rut, and they are readily available in supermarkets. The recipes that I included in Ten use both whole grains and other old-time favorites. The variety is staggering; there’s bulgur wheat (also called cracked wheat), and is best known as the grain in the Middle Eastern tabouleh; quinoa, a protein-rich flavorful grain from South American that I’ve tossed with herbs found in that continent’s favorite sauce accompaniments to barbecued meats – chimichurri; Farro, from Italy, is gaining popularity on the American table and I like to serve it tossed with scallions, tomato, basil, and crumbled fresh goat cheese; and there is wheat berry, chewy and delicious.

Wheat Berry Salad with Pineapple and Cranberries

Serves 10

Wheat berries have a wonderfully chewy texture, but they require a good overnight soak and an hour of cooking before they’re ready to eat. This salad is worth the planning. I first tasted a wheat berry salad at Anna Pump’s Loaves and Fishes-a favorite prepared-foods shop in Sagaponak, Long Island-and it inspired this one: ripe pineapple, cucumbers, and dried cranberries combined with this special grain. Pure magic.

1 cup wheat berries

½ teaspoon salt

½ hothouse (seedless) cucumber

1 cup diced ripe pineapple (¼-inch dice)

¾ cup dried cranberries

1 cup shredded tender radicchio leaves

3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.?Place the wheat berries in a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Drain the wheat berries and transfer them to a bowl. Add cold water to cover by 2 inches, and set it aside to soak overnight.

2.?Drain the wheat berries in a colander and rinse them well under cold running water. Transfer them to a large pot and add water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the wheat berries begin to soften, about 15 minutes.

3.?Add the salt and cook, uncovered, until the wheat berries are tender, about 45 minutes; test them occasionally while they are cooking. Drain in a colander, and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Drain the wheat berries well and spread them out on a baking sheet; let them dry for about 45 minutes.

4.?Quarter the cucumber lengthwise (do not peel it) and thinly slice the quarters. You should have 1 cup cucumber pieces.

5.?Place the wheat berries in a bowl and add the cucumbers, pineapple, and cranberries. Toss well with a fork. Toss in the radicchio and parsley. Add the oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, and fluff well with the fork. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving

I hope you will come back for some dessert tomorrow.

Sheila

Sheila Lukins, author of Ten: All the Foods We Love, Ten Recipes for Each, is guest blogging on Jewcy, and she’ll be here all week. Stay tuned.

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