Food Friday Recipe 5/13

Carly Yuenger

On today's show we discuss the beauty, texture, and flavor that whole grains, like millet, kamut, farro, wheat berries, and "oat berries," bring to the table--breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Maria Speck is a cooking instructor, so she knows how most people react to the idea of whole grains. She says that the best cure for the belief that whole grains are bland is a good recipe.
Check this one out: "Leek Salad with Haloumi Cheese and Rye Berries". It's featured on the cover of her book, Ancient Grains for Modern Meals, and represents her dual ancestry--Greek and German--through the inclusion of rye berries (very German!) in a traditional Mediterranean salad.

We hope you'll give it a go and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below, at our Facebook page, or by leaving a voice message at our hotline: 1-877-GLOBE-07

Maria Speck's Leek Salad with Grilled Haloumi Cheese and Rye Berries:

Haloumi, a textured goat and sheep’s milk cheese, popular across the Middle East, is irresistibly chewy and will not melt when grilled or roasted. Take this salad to a barbecue and char the cheese right there for a smoky touch, or use a broiler anytime. Pecorino Romano can stand in for the haloumi but it lacks the same lip-smacking chewiness. Both cheeses can be quite salty, so you may want to go easy when adding the salt. Serves 4 to 6

Rye:

11/2 cups water

3/4 cup rye berries, soaked overnight and drained

Salad:

2 medium leeks, cleaned and cut into 3/4-inch segments (about 4 cups)

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 (2- by 1-inch) strip orange zest, white pith removed (optional)

1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, 2 teaspoons oil reserved

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish

2 tablespoons nonpareil capers

3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To Finish:

1/4 pound haloumi cheese

11/2 teaspoons dried crumbled oregano or thyme

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)

1. To prepare the rye, bring the water and the rye berries to a boil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the berries are tender but still slightly chewy, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and steam for 10 to 15 minutes if you have time. Drain any remaining liquid and transfer to a large serving bowl to cool.

2. While the rye cools, prepare the salad. Bring the leeks, chicken broth, and orange zest to a boil in a large saucepan. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the leeks are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the leeks, and add them to the serving bowl with the rye berries. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the mint, and the capers, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, keeping in mind that capers and haloumi are quite salty.

3. To finish, position a rack about 6 inches below the heat source and preheat the broiler. Cut the haloumi cheese into thin slices, about 1/4 inch thick, and put them on a plate. Sprinkle with the oregano, pepper, pepper flakes, and reserved 2 teaspoons of tomato oil; rub the oil and spices all over to coat the slices on both sides (work gently, as haloumi breaks easily). Transfer the cheese to a medium cast-iron skillet or a broiler pan.

4. Broil the haloumi until the slices just start to brown at the edges, about 5 minutes, turning once with a spatula. (Watch closely as you don’t want the cheese to dry out.)

5. Top the salad with the haloumi. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons mint, and serve right away.

To get a head start: Make the rye berries, as in step 1, ahead. The salad (without the haloumi) can be prepared 4 to 6 hours ahead. Chill, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

To vary it: A great stand-in for the rye in this dish would be about 2 cups cooked whole oat berries