Orthodox Union
www.ou.org
Whole Grain Salads
Ronnie Fein
Whole grains are among the most useful ingredients, for many reasons, but now that warm weather is here to stay for a while, you’ll find them the perfect foundations for summer salads. All you have to do with barley, brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa and bulgur, to name just a few, is cook them and moisten the grains with a tasty dressing. It’s a quick fix as a side salad that goes with almost any kind of meat, poultry or fish entrée, especially the ones you cook outdoors on the grill. I make these salads often because they are such a welcome alternative to the usual potatoes and rice.
Like most salads, the ones made with grains are extremely versatile. So, while a simple vinaigrette-dressed side dish is easy and tasty, you can also mix in all sorts of other ingredients to create a different recipe each time you make it. Most of the time I choose the mix-ins based on what I already have in the pantry or fridge. But if I am shopping, I buy whatever looks best in the produce bin.
The easiest and simplest additions are fresh, raw vegetables such as grape tomatoes, cut up zucchini, chopped bell peppers, carrots, celery, diced cucumber and so on. The kind of stuff many people keep as staples. You can also use thawed frozen peas or corn kernels (they need no cooking). With just a little more effort you can cook the vegetables (spinach, pieces of broccoli, cut up asparagus or mushrooms) and include those. Or use the leftovers from last night’s dinner.
It’s easy to build on a grain salad to make it more interesting, appealing and even filling, if that’s needed. If I am serving a few grain salads at a meal, I often jazz one of them up with a strong or pungent ingredient such as radish or chili peppers or one of the onions (red onion, shallot, scallions and Vidalias come to mind). Most of the time I will also include some chopped fresh herbs (typically basil, thyme, parsley, oregano, cilantro or rosemary) because they provide so much flavor. I am lucky to grow some of these herbs in my garden, so they’re always on hand during the summer months, but fresh herbs are now widely available in the stores.
You could be finished right here, but there are more options to consider. For example, because I often make two or three grain salads as part of a dairy meal, I might add cheese (feta, blue, Monterey jack or cheddar, to name some) to one or two of them. On the other hand, if I am at a loss as to what to make for a meat dinner and don’t want to serve the typical meat-starch-protein threesome, I will use cut up chicken, turkey, lamb or beef (again, leftovers are terrific) to transform the grain salad from a side dish to a refreshing, light but satisfying summer night’s main course.
Occasionally, although we are not vegetarians, we have a meatless, dairy-free meal. I rely on grain salads here too, and stir in cooked lentils, chick peas or beans. That’s how utterly multipurpose grain salads can be.
Ronnie Fein has been a freelance food and lifestyle writer since 1980. She currently writes regular features for the food and community sections of daily newspapers and has written articles for Newsday, Cook’s Illustrated, Consumer’s Digest, Connecticut magazine, and many other publications. She operates the Ronnie Fein School of Creative Cooking in Stamford, Connecticut and is the author of three cookbooks, the most recent is
Hip Kosher (DaCapo, 2008).
Farro Salad with Peas and Dried Cranberries
1-1/2 cups semi-pearled farro
3 thick scallions, chopped
1 large tart apple, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, approximately
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Place the farro in a saucepan and add enough water to cover by one inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the farro is tender. Drain the farro if any liquid remains and place it in a bowl. Let cool slightly. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the apple, peas, cranberries and thyme and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the farro and toss ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in the remaining olive oil if desired and toss ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 6 servings.
Quinoa Salad with Raisins and Carrots
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 cups water
3 medium scallions, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons orange juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Place the quinoa in a bowl. Add the scallions, carrots, parsley, raisins and almonds and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, white wine vinegar and orange juice and pour over the quinoa. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let rest for 15 minutes before servings. Best served at room temperature or slightly chilled. Makes 6 servings
Barley-Guacamole Salad
1 cup barley
2 cups water
1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1 large Haas avocado
3 medium scallions, finely chopped
1 medium Serrano or jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Place the barley in a saucepan, add enough cold water to cover by 1-inch. Let stand 1 hour. Drain the barley and return it to the saucepan. Pour in the 2 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for 25-30 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Place the cooked barley in a bowl and add the tomatoes. Peel the avocado and cut the flesh into chunks. Add to the barley. Add the tomatoes, scallions, chili pepper, parsley, basil and some salt and pepper. Toss ingredients gently. In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, lime juice, white wine vinegar ad Dijon mustard. Pour over the salad, toss the ingredients and let stand for 30 minutes before serving. Makes about 6 servings
