Thursday, June 10, 2010

Arugula Pesto Wheat Berry

From Heidi Swanson. She says that this is a great salad but to make more of a meak out of it she added Sweet Earth brand seitan or cubes of cooked potatoes could be added too.

3 cups cooked wheat berries
3 medium garlic cloves
2/3 cups pine nuts or sliced almonds (local hazelnuts!?)
3 cups loosely packed arugual leaves
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 big pinches salt
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup black Kalamata olives, chopped
4-6 ounces seitan (optional), chopped and pan fried into crispy bits in a bit of oil
A bit of shaved parmesan as a garnish

1. Place wheat berries in a large mixing bowl and set aside so they can come to room tempurature.
2. Make arugual pesto by combining the garlic, 1/2 cup of the pine nuts, most of the arugula, parmesan, salt and lemon juice in the food processor. Pulse a few times, then begin to drizzle the olive oil into the mixture while continuing to pulse until pesto is smooth. Taste, adjust if needed with more salt or lemon juice.
3. Pour half of pesto over the wheat berries, add the seitan if you are using it, the rest of the arugula, and 1/4 to 1/2 cup hot water. Toss everything until wellpcoated. Add more pesto a bit at a time until the wheat berries are dressed to your liking- I actually go a bit on the heavy side with this particular combo. Arrange on a platter and top with the olives, remaining pine nuts and a bit of shaved parmesan.

Serves: 6 or so as a side, less as a main dish

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