Wheatberry Salad with Radishes, Asparagus, Walnuts, and Spring Onions
Gena Hamshaw
Photo by James Ransom
- Serves
- 4
An easy grain salad that's a perfect mixture of hearty and bright. If you like, you can cook your wheatberries a day or two in advance of preparing the salad.
Ingredients
- 1 cup hard spring wheat berries
- Sea salt
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces, tops and stems separated
- 5 white or red radishes, sliced very thinly into rounds
- 1/2 cup walnuts pieces
- 2 spring onions, white and green parts included, chopped
- 2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 5 tablespoon olive oil (plus more, as needed)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Black pepper, to taste
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Directions
- Step 1
To begin, rinse the wheat berries and place them in a large pot, along with a generous pinch of salt and 3 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer and cover it. Simmer the wheat berries for 35 to 45 minutes, or until they’re tender, but they still retain some chew. Drain them, return them to the pot, and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil to keep them from sticking together.
- Step 2
While the wheat berries cook, toast the walnuts in a large skillet for a few minutes, or until they smell fragrant and nutty. Transfer them to a paper towel or a plate as soon as they’re browning lightly (they’ll keep cooking after they’re removed from the heat).
- Step 3
Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the asparagus stems for 2 minutes. Add the tops and allow them to cook with the stems for another minute, or until all pieces are tender but still crispy. Plunge the pieces into cool water, then transfer to a strainer and set them aside.
- Step 4
Whisk together the vinegar, oil, lemon, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 5
Mix the wheat berries with the radishes, the cooked asparagus, the walnuts, and the onions. Add the dressing and combine everything well. Adjust seasonings and serve.