Wheat Berry Salad with Pineapple and Cranberries

Recipe by: Sheila Lukins | from Ten: All the Foods We Love and Ten Perfect Recipes for Each

Cookstr

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Total Time: A Day Or More

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Moderate

wheat-berry-salad-with-pineapple-and-cranberries

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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.

Yield: Serves 10

INGREDIENTS

1 cup wheat berries
½ teaspoon salt
½ hothouse cucumber (seedless)

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

Directions

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.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving (% daily value)

Calories 127kcal (6%)

Sodium 410mg (17%)

Total Carbohydrate 24g

Fiber 3g

Fat 3g (5%)

Trans Fat 0g

Saturated Fat 0g (2%)

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg (0%)