This recipe from Laurie Zwaan, whose family owns and runs Champlain Valley Apiaries in Middlebury, Vermont, has just a hint of sweetness from honey in the dressing. A food processor makes preparation of the vegetables quick and easy, but an old-fashioned knife will work just as well.
This recipe serves eight generously as a side dish, but is easily halved. If you want to avoid using leafy greens, eliminate the parsley and rev up the flavor with a touch more salt, a dash of cayenne pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- •2 cups uncooked wheat berries or farro*
- •1/2 cup dark raisins or currants
- •1 bunch parsley, (about 1/2 cup, packed)
- •3 stalks celery, trimmed
- •2 large seedless cuccumbers (or 4 small cucumbers, seeds removed), peeled and cut into chunks
For the dressing:
- •3 shallots, peeled
- •1/2 tsp honey
- •2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
- •1 Tbsp finely grated orange zest
- •1 1/2 Tbsp Champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- •1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- •salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Prepare the salad: Place a large pot (2 to 3 quarts) of water over high heat and bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the wheat berries and reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer until the berries are just tender, about 1 hour. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water; set aside. Using a food processor, finely chop the parsley, then transfer it to the bowl of wheat berries. Add the celery to the unwashed food processor and process until finely chopped. Add to the bowl of wheat berries.
Add the cucumbers to the food processor. Being careful not to overprocess, pulse the cucumbers until chopped small. Transfer the chopped cucumbers to a fine meshed strainer and press gently to extract the excess liquid. Add the cucumbers to the bowl of wheat berries and toss to mix.
Prepare the dressing: Put the shallots in the still unwashed food processor and finely chop. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add the honey, orange juice, orange zest, and vinegar. Whisk to blend. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and whisk again.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to mix well. Transfer to a decorative serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To Make Ahead
From the book
Dinner for Eight: 40 Great Dinner Party Menus for Friends and Family
Denise Landis-who has tested more than a decade's worth of recipes at The New York Times-is an accomplished and experienced home entertainer. Landis knows what makes a good dinner party and how to compose a menu that will impress guests while leaving the cook free to enjoy her own party.
