Try this berry

Two things led me to wheatberry salads this week: an overabundance of scallions in my garden and a trip through my trusty three-ring binder and its packed collection of dog-eared recipes. A wheatberry is the entire kernel of wheat, bran and all, so it’s consequently packed with fiber and has a terrific, toothy texture. If you like food that fights back a little, you’ll love it. Home-town baker, Our Daily Bread, makes a “Farmhouse” loaf replete with wheatberries, and the dense, toast-worthy bread always makes it into my cart when I’m lucky enough to spot it. So, searching for inspiration in my binder the other day, I ran across a couple of wheatberry salad recipes that helped with the scallion bounty. I love room-temperature salads this time of year, especially hearty ones that make fast work of fresh herbs, cheeses, meats and veggies. Wheatberries are a champion base ingredient if you can get over one small failing. They take forever to cook.

Unlike orzo or Israeli couscous which cook fast and make great salad foundations, wheatberries take an hour to become nicely pliable. But if you can manage the commitment, the payoff is there in both taste and nutrition. Start with a cup-and-a-half of washed, sorted wheatberries. Add to a saucepan and cover with water by two inches. Bring to a boil. Salt the water if you like, but it’s not necessary. Cook by slow boil uncovered for an hour, or until tender. Drain and while still warm, dress with 3 or more tablespoons of your favorite olive oil and a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice or your favorite vinegar. Toss in accompaniments. I like bits of grilled or roast chicken, roasted red peppers, chopped basil, crumbled feta and, of course, scallions. Parsley, roast squash and asiago work well, as do a combo of asparagus, fresh spring peas, prosciutto and bleu cheese. Enjoy.