I love blogging for many reasons (that don’t involve having a captive audience for my musings)—foremost of which is the incredible worldwide community I get to be a part of on a daily basis. Photographers from Sweden, chefs from Montreal, home cooks right here in LA—everyone comes together via social media in what feels kinda like a giant virtual love fest. We learn from each other, inspire, share beauty, and grow together.
One of the binding forces of this virtual community is feedfeed—an Instagram feed and app currently in beta testing that brings people together through pictures and recipes of the food that they cook. Julie and Dan Resnick, the lovely creators of feedfeed, live in Amagansett, New York, and document their ongoing efforts to eat both locally and sustainably.
After feedfeed selected K&C as a winner of this summer’s Cook’s Local Contest, Julie sent me an amazing package of goodies, including freshly harvested wheat berries tom Amber Waves Farm, local Amagansett Sea Salt, and the most exquisite golden honey.
Though I don’t often make grain salads, this one arrived fully formed in my brain and demanded me to make it. It’s hearty without being overbearing, and the gapes add fun pop and sweetness to the tangy feta, fresh herbs, and rich pine nuts. Toasting the wheat berries in the pan before boiling them lends them a roasty, open, malty flavor that is luscious for fall.
Ingredients
- 1 cup wheat berries rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable stock + additional purified water for boiling all water is fine
- 3 Tbsp . olive oil
- 1 Tbsp . + 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup dark grapes washed and halved or quartered
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
- ¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts
- 1/3 cup feta
- ¼ tsp . sea salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Place wheat berries in a large pot with flame on high, shaking pot from side to side occasionally in oder to make sure the bees toast evenly. As they begin to lightly brown, pour in vegetable stock or water to cover 1-2 inches over the berries and cover with a lid. Once they come to a boil, reduce heat to low and leave to simmer. Cook for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until berries are tender yet have a gentle toasty crunch.
- Drain berries and rinse with cold water. Place in a bowl, and toss with olive oil and sea salt. Add herbs and feta, and lightly stir. Then add grapes, and most of the pine nuts and feta—reserve some to sprinkle on top. Toss again, then add balsamic vinegar and mix to coat. Taste and add more salt or balsamic as desired.
- Enjoy!
