A flavourful, hearty salad is perfect for a picnic or a bbq. Or it can easily be a meal-in-a-bowl on a smokin’ hot night when turning on the oven would be plain foolish. In my south facing, highly-windowed apartment with a stinkin’ greenhouse lovely sunroom and no air conditioning, this has been my reality for the past several weeks. There have been a lot of salads.
What I really love most about them is their endless versatility. Start with a grain – maybe even pick one you have never tried! Quinoa, couscous, bulgur wheat, kasha (aka buckwheat), amaranth, kamut berries, or different shapes of pasta are all great options. Add some fresh herbs, fresh or dried fruit, diced cucumber, celery, tomatoes and/or peppers, some toasted nuts, and a bright vinaigrette, and you are almost guaranteed a delicious result. It is a great place to be creative and to make the most of what is in season. I used apricots in this salad, which are at their peak in British Columbia right now. If you can’t find fresh apricots, you could substitute dried (just soak them in some boiling water to plump them up) or you could use firm nectarines or peaches instead.
Wheat berries, in my opinion, are a wildly underused grain. They have lots of chewy texture and a sweet, nutty flavour that really stands up to other ingredients in a salad. They are actually the entire wheat kernel, so they are very nutrient rich and high fibre – if you need a reason to eat them beyond deliciousness. You can cook the wheat berries up to 48 hours in advance, just cool completely and refrigerate until ready to use.
Aren’t they pretty?! I think they want to be a tart in their next life.
Wheat Berry Salad with Apricots & Green Onions
Ingredients
- 1 cup wheat berries
- 3 ripe but firm apricots diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup chopped pecans toasted
- ¼ cup dried currants soaked 5 minutes in 1 cup boiling water
Vinaigrette
- 1 bunch green onions about 5, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley minced
- â…“ cup canola oil
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the wheat berries, return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour. The wheat berries should be tender but still chewy. Drain and spread out on a baking sheet to cool quickly.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together all the vinaigrette ingredients. Set aside.
- When the wheat berries have cooled to room temperature, toss with the remaining salad ingredients and the vinaigrette. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Such a nice change from the usual grain salads. The chewy wheat berries with the sweet apricots and sharp green onion was a great combo. Took it to a potluck and got recipe requests.