Wheat Berries with Roasted Beets and Sage
Wheat berries are unprocessed whole kernels of wheat. When cooked, they maintain their berry shape and have a chewy texture that plays nicely off cubed roasted beets in this salad. Save the beet greens for Farfalle with Sautéed Greens, Lemon, and Pecorino Romano Cheese
This is colorful and pretty. You can prepare the two main components-the wheat berries and beets- in advance, making this easy to put together. If you are looking to add to your list of healthier salads, this is a good place to start.
Ingredients
- One and a half cups of wheat berries
- Three cups of water
- Pinch of salt
- Four medium beets
- Two medium red onions
- A quarter cup of extra-virgin olive oil
- Two tablespoons of chopped sage leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine the wheat berries, water, and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the berries are tender. Drain and let cool. For storing instructions, see the box opposite.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash the beets and trim off the stem and root ends. Wrap the beets in a sheet of aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast for about 40 minutes, until the beets "give" when pierced with a knife. Remove from the
- oven and let cool in the foil, about 1 hour.
- Peel, trim, and slice the onions one-quarter inch thick.
- In a small skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, add the onions, and sauté, stirring, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes more. Add the chopped sage and cook for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins with a paring knife. Cut the beets into one-half-inch cubes and put them in a serving bowl.
- Add the red onion mixture to the beets, and stir to combine. Add the wheat berries and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, toss gently, and serve.