The heat and sun are drawing us out of our wet slumber: the grass is heading up, the greenhouse plants are perking up, and the fields are drying out. We put a new header in the perennial field yesterday. It was a slow process which is hard when we are so anxious to get everything done at once. That seems to be how the year starts though: it takes a little bit to return to routines and to find a rhythm.
The cows finished grazing the first field this weekend. It has been mowed and we will finish spading it today. We have disced about half of the grain fields once and hope to finish them today. A new lamb arrived this weekend!
This week's pick list:
- Wheat berries
- Green Garlic
- Turnip
- Radish
- Choice of grass fed beef
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries, from thekitchn.com
Approximately 3 cups
What You Need
Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries
Salt
Olive oil (optional)
Equipment
Measuring cups
Baking tray (optional)
2-quart sauce pan with lid
Strainer
Bowl for tossing (optional)
Instructions
- Toast the wheat berries (optional). Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread the wheat berries on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly colored and aromatic.
- Cook on the stovetop. Transfer the wheat berries into a sauce pan and add 3 cups of water and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover the pan.
- Check for doneness. At about 30 minutes, start checking for doneness by scooping out a few berries and carefully tasting after they've cooled a bit. They should be chewy but not tough. If not quite done, continue cooking and check the wheat berries every 5 minutes. You may need to cook them up to 25 minutes longer depending on the exact variety of wheat berry you purchased and their age.
- Drain. Drain the berries in the strainer and transfer to a bowl. Toss with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Store in refrigerator. If not using right away, store the cooked wheat berries in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Gently reheat in a frying pan over low heat until hot, or serve at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
- Check the pot on occasion to be sure there is enough water. Add more hot water as needed.
- Farro is another wheat grain very similar to wheat berries. It is cooks just like wheat berries, but will require a shorter cooking time. Start checking at 30 minutes. Farro can be used interchangeably in recipes calling for wheat berries.
for more details: www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-tender-chewy-wheat-berries-and-farro-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-189553