Continuing on the no-meat kick after the ridiculously-bad-for-you-but-oh-so-delicious braised bacon, I decided to start experimenting with grains. Stopping by the Union Square Whole Foods, I picked up some roasted buckwheat and quinoa. What I really wanted was some delightfully chewy wheat berries, but they were completely out so I decided on the subway that I’d give the buckwheat a go.
The smoky roasted buckwheat reminded me of barley tea and added some nice depth to the salad, but next time I’m definitely going to hunt down some wheat berry. The salad is served warm with roasted winter veggies and a sweet balsamic vinaigrette. The celery adds some nice crunch in there, but I was thinking sunchokes or asian pear would work just as well. A soft poached egg on top lends some creaminess and body that makes this a one plate meal.
Ingredients
For salad
- 1 cup wheat berries cooked (or some other whole grain)
- 1/3 cup celery cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil good
- 1 Cup kabocha butternut squash cubed or
- 1/2 Cup parsnip celery root cubed or
- 1 spring onion sliced (or small sweet onion)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
for dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil good
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar real
- 8 sage leaves cut into thin ribbons
- 1 teaspoon salt
- to taste black pepper freshly ground
for serving
- 1 egg poached per serving
Steps
- Prepare the wheat berries according the the box directions and dump it into a large bowl. Toss the hot wheat with celery and parsley in a large bowl.
- Heat 1 Tbs of good olive oil over medium heat and saute the kabocha, parsnip, onion and salt until the vegetables are soft enough to eat (but not mushy). Add to bowl with wheat.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour enough on the wheat and veggies, tossing gently, to lightly coat everything.
- To serve, put down a bed of greens, layer on the wheat and veggies, top with a soft poached egg and drizzle on a little more dressing.
