Cracked Wheat Salad With Green Olives And Golden Raisins Food

WHEAT SALAD

Steps:

• Soak wheat berries in a bowl of water for at least 5 hours or overnight. Drain and place in a slow cooker with enough water to cover by one inch. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 5 to 6 hours, until tender. Add more water if needed. When tender, drain, and rinse under cold water to chill.
• In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, pineapple and lemon juice. Stir in the dry pudding mix until smooth. Stir in the wheat berries until evenly coated. Fold in whipped topping just before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

MEDITERRANEAN CRACKED WHEAT SALAD

Steps:

• Rinse cracked wheat (bulgur) and put in a large bowl. Add hot broth, cover and let it stand until all liquid is absorbed (20-25 minutes).
• Let cool and fluff with fork occasionally.
• Add scallions, mint, cilantro, cucumber, olives and roasted pepper; mix well.
• Mix together garlic, olive oil, lemon (or lime) juice salt and pepper and add to salad.
• Stir in feta cheese, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

NORTH AFRICAN CRACKED WHEAT SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cracked wheat, lemon juice, and oil. Mix well. Add the tomatoes, red peppers, green peppers, cucumbers, celery, scallions, parsley, and mint. Season with the salt and black pepper. Toss well to combine.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or until the wheat has softened.

CRACKED WHEAT SALAD WITH GREEN OLIVES AND GOLDEN RAISINS

Steps:

• Place the wheat berries, a sprinkling of salt, and enough water to cover them by 2 inches in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the wheat berries are tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, place the bulgur in a large bowl and cover with 1 1/2 cups of steaming hot water. Let it sit about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is soft. (I always taste it; the bulgur shouldn't have any crunch or hard edges.) Add the cooked wheat berries to the bulgur.
• Whisk together the citrus zests, juices, olive oil, kosher salt, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Add the dressing to the grains and toss well. Add the parsley, mint, cilantro, olives, raisins, and celery hearts, and use a rubber spatula to combine enough to moisten all ingredients. Taste again for seasonings, adding additional salt, citrus juice, or olive oil as needed.