JEWELED MIXED GRAIN SALAD WITH FRUIT AND HERBS FROM STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE'S CHEF RACHELLE BOUCHER

JEWELED MIXED GRAIN SALAD WITH FRUIT AND HERBS FROM STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE'S CHEF RACHELLE BOUCHER image

Yield 6 Cups

Number Of Ingredients 22

½ cup dried wheat berries, soaked over night in 3 cups water
1 cup short grain brown rice
½ cup black rice
Kosher salt for cooking grains
¼ cup dried cranberries
½ cup dried currants, or 1 cup raisins
¼ cup walnut, hazelnut or almond oil or more to taste,
¼ cup good quality sherry or red wine vinegar or more to taste
zest of 1 orange
¼ cup orange juice
2 green onions, green part only, finely slivered
(apx. ¼ cup)
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons mint chiffonade (finely sliced mint leaves)
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt or more to taste
pepper to taste
Optional:
1 cup toasted, chopped nuts; pistachios, walnuts or pecans
Additions may include:
crumbled feta
Mandarin orange segments
chopped vegetables

Steps:

1. In a large pot with a lid, bring 5 cups of water, the soaked, drained wheat berries and 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add brown rice, return to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Gently simmer until grains are tender, about 50 minutes. Note: Wheat berries will remain slightly firm. Drain and add to large bowl and toss in dried fruit while grains are still warm. At the same time, in a medium pot bring 3 cups of water, black rice, half a teaspoon of salt to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 30-40 minutes. Drain and rinse very well, add to bowl. 2. Toss grains with nut oil, sherry vinegar, orange zest and orange juice. Cool to room temperature. 3. Add in green onions, parsley, mint, salt and pepper. Taste salad. Add salt, oil, vinegar or herbs as needed to suit your taste. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until needed. Just before serving, garnish with nuts, extra chopped herbs or additional items.