Winter Wheat Berry Risotto Food

WHEAT BERRY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Start by adding your stock to a large pot and get it simmering over medium heat. It just needs to be warm, not boiling hot.
• Crush Garlic cloves, but leave them mostly whole. Add olive oil to pan along with garlic cloves and red pepper flakes. Cook on LOW for about 5-6 minutes to infuse oil with garlic.
• Remove garlic cloves and add onions and peppers. Turn heat up to medium and cook until veggies start to soften, about 4 minutes.
• Add wheat berries to the pan and cook for about a minute to warm wheat berries.
• Add white wine to pan and stir until wine is evaporated.
• Working about 1 cup at a time, ladle stock into wheat berry mixture. Stir well and cook until pan is almost dry, then add another cup. It will probably take about an hour for the wheat berries to soften up and you'll probably use close to 5 or 6 cups of liquid. You don't need to stir it continuously though like you normally do with risotto. It's okay to let it sit for a few minutes.
• When wheat berries are soft, but still have a bit of a bite to them, remove from heat. You should taste the dish for salt but it probably won't need salt because of the salt in the stock. Serve with a garnish of parsley and Parmesan cheese.

WHEAT BERRY SALAD

Steps:

• In a large pot combine the wheat berries and enough water to come 2 inches over the wheat berries. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until tender. Drain and let cool. Toast the walnuts in a medium dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the wheat berries, walnuts, celery, dried cherries, scallions, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

WINTER WHEAT BERRY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Prepare all risotto ingredients in advance, chopping mincing and measuring.
• Warm the vegetable stock in a saucepan over low heat to the point that it is barely steaming.
• Using a large high sided sauté pan (we like a 12" pan), melt the butter and sauté onions over medium-high heat until onions are translucent and begin to break down. Add garlic and other spices of your choice and cook until fragrant.
• Add the wheat berries to the sauté mixture and stir until every wheat berry is coated with butter (if you are a little short on butter, add more until you have finished coating all wheat berries, don't skimp on the butter). Continue to cook and stir until edges of the wheat berries are translucent and the center is still opaque. You should be able to smell the aroma of toasted wheat berries.
• Add ½ cup of white wine, stirring and simmering until the wine has completely reduced and the pan is nearly dry.
• Begin adding the barely steaming vegetable broth one ladle-full at a time. When liquid is almost completely absorbed, add another ladle until you have just enough broth to cook the wheat and no more.
• After 20 minutes or so start tasting the wheat berries. The risotto is ready when the wheat berries are still a little chewy and almost creamy.
• Finally, add more ladle of broth, two tablespoons of butter and the cheese.
• Stir together and serve immediately. If the risotto stands too long, some starches may set.