This
delicious, hearty recipe is solidly in the winter comfort food category--and
just happens to be healthy! You can use any whole grain that is earthy in
flavor and a bit chewy. I prefer Kamut or wheat berries, but short grain brown
rice or pearled barley also work well.
Kamut: For those of you who
haven't heard of Kamut, it is the trademarked name of an ancient type of wheat
berry that was originally grown in Egypt. It is high in protein (12-18%) and
always organic. The taste is nearly identical to traditional wheat berries.
Many
whole grains take 35-60+ minutes to cook--something I cannot wait for when I
get home starving after a long day of work. To solve this problem (and avoid
getting take-out), I cook a batch of some type of whole grain most weekends,
portion into family-sized servings, and freeze in Ziplock baggies or freezer
containers. Then, I just empty the frozen grains into a microwave safe
container, cover with a plate, and heat for 1-3 minutes. This technique yields
whole grains that taste no different than if they'd been freshly made for that
meal! This recipe utilized whole grains that were precooked and reheated in
this way.
This
process is simple and shown in more detail in the Basic Techniques Series: CookingWhole Grains post which includes a cooking time chart for most whole grains.
Whole Grain, White Bean and
Winter Vegetable Dish with Pickled Red Onions
Pickled Red Onions:
1/4
cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice
of one medium or large lemon (zest lemon before juicing)
1/4
teaspoon sea salt
1/2
cup thinly sliced red onions
Ingredients for the rest of
the dish:
1 Tablespoon
olive oil
2
medium carrots, sliced 1/8-1/4 inch thick
1
large parsnip, sliced 1/8 inch thick
1
medium or large fennel bulb, halved then sliced ¼ inch thick
Salt,
to taste
Pepper,
to taste
1
can (or 1-1/2 cups cooked) white beans, drained and rinsed
2
cups cooked Kamut or wheat berries
1 Tablespoon
brown sugar
Zest
of 1 lemon, chopped
1/4
cup roughly chopped fresh dill
1/3
cup chopped, roasted almonds
Combine
the ¼ cup olive oil, lemon juice, salt and red onions in a small bowl. Stir and
set aside.
In
a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl to
coat the bottom of the pan. Toss in the carrots, parsnips, and fennel slices
then season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables
get somewhat browned (about 10-12 minutes).
Add
the beans, Kamut and brown sugar to the skillet and cook for another 3-5
minutes to heat through. Add the lemon zest and dill; stir to combine. Remove
from heat and add red onion mixture; stir and season with salt and pepper.
Let
rest at least 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve
topped with chopped almonds. Serves 6-8 as a side dish; 4 as a main dish.
Makes
a great vegetarian main dish, or side dish for fish or chicken.
