When I look to see how many people have liked one of my blog posts, I notice that the healthy dishes do not do as well. The desserts and pasta recipes? Tons of likes. With healthy living and clean eating trending now more than ever, I wonder why.
Turns out, I need not look further than my own home. When I made this dish, I threw a couple of potatoes in the oven”just in case”, and I was smart to do so. When it came time to eat, they all turned up their noses at this amazing side and chowed down on the potatoes. Finally, at the end of the meal, I made my husband taste it. Hey Mikey! He liked it! He even packed some up to bring for lunch the next day.
I have some rules to live by, and I’ll share this one with you: when you are having company over, stick to your “oldie-but-goodie” recipes. There may not be as many people out there itching to try your new wheatberry recipe. That being said, there is nothing wrong with trying new dishes at your leisure, or when you have more adventurous people around your table.
Most people have never even heard of a wheatberry. They are a whole wheat kernel, FYI. They are made up of bran, germ, and endosperm ( I know that doesn’t sound good, but they are really tasty). There are two kinds, a tan whole wheatberry, and a red wheatberry. For this recipe, I used the red ones.
This side dish not only makes a beautiful presentation, it also packs in outstanding taste. The wheatberries and rice take on the flavor of the chicken broth and blend perfectly with the sautéed onions. The pine nuts give it a nice crunch, and the scallions add lovely color. This recipe is a must try, it is definitely going on my Thanksgiving menu this year. And who knows, maybe some naysayers will dig into it!
This recipe is courtesy of Ina Garten and will serve 6 people who just might change their minds about eating healthy food.
Ingredients for Brown Rice and Wheatberries
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. good olive oil
1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion (1 large)
1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup hard red winter wheatberries
1 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (6 scallions), plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Preheat the oven to 275°F.
Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset.
Add the onion and sauté over medium heat for 8 minutes, until translucent but not browned.
Add the rice and wheatberries and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Stir in scallions, pine nuts.
Pour in chicken stock, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.
Stir, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and bake for 50 minutes.
Stir in the dried cranberries, cover again, and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes, until the grains are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Depending on the saltiness of the stock, add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to taste, sprinkle with sliced scallions.
Serve hot.
It’s that simple!
