Spiced Wheat Berry Pilaf
Eastern spices like cumin and cardamom add bright notes to this earthy, pleasantly chewy pilaf, enriched with pistachios and dried apricots. Serve this at Thanksgiving as a lighter alternative to traditional bread stuffing. This recipe first appeared in our November 2011 issue along with Linda Monastra's story True Harvest.
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Credit: Todd Coleman
INGREDIENTS
2 cups wheat berries¼ cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup (about 3 oz.) finely chopped dried apricots
½ cup pistachios, roughly chopped
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground cardamom
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup roughly chopped mint
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2. Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 1 minute. Add reserved wheat berries, along with apricots, pistachios, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until warmed through and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mint and lemon zest and juice.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring wheat berries and 6 cups water to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain and set aside.2. Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 1 minute. Add reserved wheat berries, along with apricots, pistachios, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until warmed through and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mint and lemon zest and juice.
This is the only thing I wouldn't make again. But it was good.
This is the only thing I wouldn't make again. But it was good. Rating: 3