Wheat berries, unprocessed wheat kernels that are the primary source of many wheat flours, are delicious in their own right. They’re chewy and slightly sweet, a great substitute for nuts, which are loaded with oil and calories.
The wheat berry comprises the bran, germ and endosperm of wheat. The wheat bran supplies fiber, the wheat germ packs a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals and protein and the endosperm accounts for the majority of the kernel, full of starch, protein, niacin and iron. For something that actually tastes good, you can’t ask for much more than that.
Wheat berries, like other whole grains that are hard and dry, must be softened before using in recipes, except in soups and stews in which the grains soften as the liquid simmers.
To soften wheat berries, soak them overnight in water to cover. Alternately, simmer them in water for about an hour until tender. One cup of softened wheat berries will swell to about 2 1/2 cups. Once softened and drained well in a strainer, they can be refrigerated as long as 3 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
The berries freeze separately when they aren’t very moist. The best method for drying them out is to spread the well-drained berries on a baking sheet and refrigerate them, uncovered, for a day or so. Once they’re packed in airtight plastic food bags in the freezer, they are sprinkled easily on salads or added to chili, casseroles, breads, cookies, stir-fries and stews.
These recipes will expand your horizons for using wheat berries; the same ideas can be used for other presoaked whole grains such as rye, triticale and oat groats.
The bread sticks, just chewy enough with the wheat berries, are easy to make because they don’t require any rolling, just gentle stretching.
The wheat berry soup is light and nutritious with vegetables; it gets a fiber and flavor boost from the wheat berries.
The couscous with vegetables and wheat berries is a quick dish you can make at the last minute, providing you’ve soaked the berries.
Here, wheat berries are used to add interest to a fairly simple but comforting chicken-broth-based soup. If the wheat berries are not presoaked, cook them about 30 minutes in the broth before proceeding with the recipe.
WHEAT BERRY SOUP WITH VEGETABLES
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Yield: 8 cups
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
6 cups chicken broth, preferably low salt
3/4 cup presoaked wheat berries
8 large mushrooms, diced
2 small zucchini, diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and red pepper flakes to taste
1. Heat oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add garlic, onion and celery. Cook until vegetables soften, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Add carrots, chicken broth and wheat berries. Cook, covered, until berries are soft and chewy, about 25 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms, zucchini and cumin. Cook 4 to 5 minutes more. Add salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated or frozen as long as 3 months. Serve hot.
These bread sticks are so easy to make because rolling is not necessary. Instead, they are stretched gently into long shapes. Also, because the dough requires only one rising, they’re quicker to make than most yeast breads. The wheat berries and rosemary are a delicious combination. The dough also can be baked as a loaf.
WHEAT BERRY BREADSTICKS WITH ROSEMARY
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 18 minutes
Yield: 12 bread sticks
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (105-115 degrees)
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1/2 cup presoaked wheat berries
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. Stir yeast and sugar into warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. To knead dough in processor or mixer, put flour, wheat berries, rosemary and salt into processor bowl fitted with a metal blade or into bowl of mixer fitted with dough hook. Turn machine on. Add yeast mixture and oil; mix until dough is moist but still cleans sides of bowl. Add more flour by tablespoon if dough is too wet; add water by teaspoon if dough is too dry. Once consistency is right, mix until dough is kneaded (supple and elastic), about 40 seconds in processor, 6-8 minutes in mixer.
3. To knead dough by hand, put flour, wheat berries, salt and rosemary in large bowl; make well in center. Put yeast mixture and oil in well; gradually stir flour into liquid. Turn dough onto floured board; knead until supple and elastic, 10-12 minutes.
4. Generously flour work surface. Place dough on flour; shape into 6- by 8-inch rectangle. Drape an oiled piece of plastic wrap over dough, oiled side down. Let dough stand in warm place until very puffy, about 1 hour (it will not quite double).
5. Put racks in middle area of oven; set oven at 400 degrees. Grease two baking sheets.
6. Use pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut dough on the length into a dozen 1/2-inch-wide strips. Roll strips in flour remaining on board. Gently stretch strips to 14 inches. Place on prepared sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
7. Bake until well browned, about 18 minutes, turning them over after 12 minutes to brown them on both sides. It may be necessary to reverse the baking sheets if the bread sticks are browning unevenly. Immediately remove from pan and cool on wire racks.
As good as couscous (a granular semolina) can be on its own, it’s even better with the added crunch of wheat berries. Any vegetables, fresh or leftover, can be used in this recipe-about 2 cups. With presoaked wheat berries, this recipe is a quickie. It can accompany any simple main course, or it can be the main meal served with a green salad.
COUSCOUS WITH VEGETABLES AND WHEAT BERRIES
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 3-4 servings
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, preferably low salt
1/2 cup presoaked wheat berries
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 large red pepper, diced
4 medium mushrooms, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
3/4 cup couscous
3 tablespoons julienned fresh basil
Salt and red pepper flakes to taste
1. Bring broth and wheat berries to boil in 2-quart saucepan. Simmer until berries are tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add vegetables. Cook until they are somewhat soft but still textured, about 5 minutes.
3. Add vegetables and couscous to broth and berries. Stir well and remove from heat. Cover tightly and let rest 5 minutes. Add basil, salt and red pepper flakes. Fluff with fork to combine well. Serve hot.
