Warm Wheat Berry and Apple Salad
Upon my urging my mom gifted me a pressure cooker for Christmas last year. Since then, my pressure cooker (or, p.c., as I like to call it) has been lying around my cupboard, directions inside, collecting dust. The whole idea of cooking under pressure frightened me well away from p.c. for 10 1⁄2 months. It’s my pleasure to report that the two below items helped me reach a tipping point and I used my darling p.c. for the very first time for this recipe.
1. Li’l Sis used to be her dorm’s fire safety marshal
Since I’m living with a ex-fire marshal I figure however scary using a pressure cooker is for the first time the Li’l Sis can step in and save the day. The good news is: using a pressure cooker isn’t scary all, quite the contrary; it’s easy and letting the steam out when depressurizing is pretty darn fun. The bad news is: after witnessing the Li’l Sis toast a flatbread on the stove over the open flame I found out she was only her dorm’s fire safety marshal in order to claim one of those plastic red fireman’s hats, and probably shouldn’t be depended upon in issues of fire safety.
2. wheat berries
These little things are my new favorite food item. They are a whole grain, a good source of vegetarian protein, wonderfully chewy, and fun to eat. Wheat berries, despite their cute name, are just the whole wheat grain minus only the inedible outer hull. The only problem with wheat berries is that they usually take 1 1⁄2 hours to cook. Far too long for a busy girl. P.c. to the rescue – they only take 40 minutes in a pressure cooker.
Serves: 6
Time: 55 minutes with a pressure cooker
Warm Wheat Berry and Apple Salad
2 cups water (3 if not using a pressure cooker)
2 cups wheat berries
1 large or 2 small apples, cubed small
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup golden raisins
½ cup walnuts
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp orange or apple juice
splash of olive oil
½ tsp salt
Rinse your wheat berries well. Cook them to one of the following two ways:
Pressure Cooker (recommended!): Put 2 cups water and 2 cups wheat berries in the cooker. Close the lid according to the manufacturers directions. Heat until the cooker starts to gurgle then lower the heat to low and keep cooking (the cooker should maintain gurgling.) Cook 40 minutes from when you lowered the temperature. Depressurize according to the manufacturers directions.
Regular method: Put 3 cups water and 2 cups quinoa in a pot with a lid. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and keep the lid on for 90 minutes.
While the wheat berries are cooking cube the apples and measure out the other ingredients.
When the wheat berries are done toss them with the rest of the ingredients.
October 22nd, 2006 17:56
Would you say that you, ummm ‘pressured’ your mother into getting you your pressure cooker?
Ha! I kill myself!
December 4th, 2006 20:28
I love these wheatberries. Besides the trip to Whole Foods to buy them, they are really easy to cook even without a pressure cooker. Just dump a cup or so in a heavy pan. Cover with lots of water and boil (not simmer) for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hrs. Strain and rinse with warm water. I didn’t have the nuts or raisins so I just added a handful of trail mix. Great.
Do you have any other ways of using these things?
December 5th, 2006 12:49
Queen Bee - I can’t hear you. I just covered my ears.
Thanks Mom! Nice thinking with the trail mix.
I was thinking about making a breakfast porridge with the rest of my wheatberries - putting them in the crock pot overnight with milk, apples & cinnamon, or maybe raisins and walnuts. Or your trail mix!
I have to imagine it would be great with some maple syrup or brown sugar.
January 3rd, 2007 18:23
Wheatberries are awesome. I rinse my big metal thermos with very hot water. Then add 1/2 to 1 cup of rinsed wheatberries and 4 cups of boiling water. Put the lid on go to bed and in the morning cooked wheatberries. Works perfect everytime. I am going to make this recipe tomorrow. It looks like a very yummy breakfast!
January 5th, 2007 20:48
Hey Sheree - that sounds like a great breakfast! I tried cooking the wheatberries in the crockpot twice (with all the yummy fixings - walnuts, dried cherries, etc) but it didn’t work very well either time - I haven’t got the proportions down yet and puting milk in the crockpot overnight is not a great idea.
The first time I tried it, however, the wonderful smell from the kitchen mingled with my dream of Jon Bon Jovi (really,) waking me up in quite a fabulous way.
January 8th, 2007 21:06
I just add some yougart to the salad for breakfast. Taste great.
March 1st, 2007 13:15
I use my grandfather’s breakfast recipe.
Put hot, cooked wheatberries in a bowl, add sugar and a knob of butter. When the butter is melted, add milk.
March 4th, 2007 18:00
Thanks for writing in Richie. I’m obsessed with hot breakfast cereals and your grandfather’s idea sounds just perfect.
May 30th, 2007 14:00
I have found that my rice cooker (purchased at Costco) works great for cooking wheat berries.
I put in 1 cup wheat, 4 cups water, press the start button. It leaves you the freedom to do other household chores or even leave the house.
June 1st, 2007 14:02
Thank you Sharon - I love my rice cooker for exactly the reason you stated. How long (approx.) does it take that way?
August 13th, 2007 11:29
I, too, have had an unopened kuhn-rikon gathering dust in my cabinets… and I think this lovely recipe will inspire my to crank out the pressure cooker. Although I must admit it seems so daunting- I sure hope I don’t burn my house down! but the wheat berries looks positively delectable. thanks again for the inspiration
May 22nd, 2008 19:07
I made this and added Prima Dona cheese for an extra rich nuty flavor, yum!
I did put a dash of Kosher salt in while boiling my wheatberries and it seemed salty but I AM sensitive when it comes to the taste of salt, it wasn’t too much I could just taste it but with the raisins and cranberries it seemed to balance it all out.