CRACKED WHEAT SALAD WITH GREEN OLIVES AND GOLDEN RAISINS

Cracked Wheat Salad with Green Olives and Golden Raisins image

Provided by Susan Spicer

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

1/2 cup wheat berries
Salt
1 1/2 cups bulgur
Finely grated zest of 4 lemons (about 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons)
Grated zest of 2 medium oranges (4-5 tablespoons)
Juice of 2 lemons (about 6 tablespoons)
Juice of 2 oranges (about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins, plumped and roughly chopped
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery hearts

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.