Warm Salad of Wheat Berries, Grapes, Cauliflower & Mixed Salad Greens

After eating this warm salad, I couldn’t resist asking for the recipe. I am not sure I got it exactly right, but this version really worked for us.
Preparation of this salad is a bit more complicated than cold salads but it is well-worth the effort.  You can also keep any extra cooked Wheat Berries in the refrigerator to add to soups, stews and things. You can easily increase the size of this salad by doubling the ingredients.
On a personal note:  I am not a great fan of Balsamic Vinegar, I find that it sometimes overwhelms, and in fact I almost never use it, but I did have a small bottle in my cabinet. Honestly, I was tempted to substitute apple vinegar or rice wine – on second thought I did not substitute and I was really relieved and surprised to find that Balsamic Vinegar actually enhanced the flavor of the salad.

[Preparation time: 30-40 minutes or 1½ hours depending on whether you cook the Wheat Berries ahead of time]

Servings: 8-10 portions or more depending on if it is side dish or a main course

Ingredients:                                                 

·       2 cups of cooked Wheat Berries**
·       1 to 1½ cups of Seedless Red Grapes (cut in half lengthwise, see picture below)
·        3-4 generous cups of Mixed Salad Greens
·        ½ head of fresh Cauliflower (cut into tiny florets)*
·       Salt and pepper to taste

Cauliflower (small florets), Sliced Red Grapes, Cooked Wheat Berries 

Mixed Greens

 *Preparation of Cauliflower:

·      Remove the large florets from the larger head of Cauliflower
·     Cut or separate the florets into small individual pieces (see picture)

Cauliflower florets in the process of being broken into small florets

For the Dressing
·       4 tablespoons of Olive Oil
·       3 teaspoons of Balsamic Vinegar
·       2 tablespoons of Honey
·       1 large clove garlic finely chopped
·      Salt and pepper to taste
·       Optional – add thyme leaves*

Preparation of Salad:
·       In a large bowl add ALL the Dressing ingredients and mix well 
·       Add the Cauliflower pieces
·       Add the cooked Wheat Berries
·       Add the Seedless Red Grapes
·       Mix all the ingredients in the Dressing until they are well coated


Mixture of Cauliflower, Grapes and Wheat Berries
Before Baking

Ø  THEN:
·      Place parchment paper on an oven pan
·      Pour the mixed ingredients onto the parchment lined pan (including any extra liquid) 
·      Gently spread the ingredients in the pan (see picture below)
·      Bake at 180°C for about ½ hour or until the small Cauliflower pieces start to brown
·      About half way through check and mix the ingredients in the pan [add a bit of olive oil if the mix looks too dry]


Mixture of Cauliflower, Grapes and Wheat Berries
After Baking 

Ø  THEN:
·        Put the Mixed Salad Greens in a large salad bowl
·        Remove the pan from the oven, allow it to cool a little bit
·        Pour everything on to the Mixed Salad Greens
·        Mix together gently
[You may need to adjust the seasoning or add a bit more olive oil or honey]
The Mixed Salad Greens WILL wilt a bit but they will also retain their green color.

Warm Salad of Wheat Berries, Grapes and Cauliflower and Mixed Greens

* * *

**Preparation of Wheat Berries – makes approximately 3 cups:

·        Wash 1 cup of Wheat Berries
·        Place the washed Wheat Berries into a medium size pot add 3 cups of water and a dash of kosher salt
·        Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pan
·        Check for doneness at about 30 minutes – they should be chewy but not tough
·        Check every 5 minutes – you may need to cook them up to 30 minutes more, and add water, depending on the variety and the age of the berries
·        Drain any extra water and set aside [store any extra wheat berries in the refrigerator for up to a week]

Wheat Berries after cooking

Serving Suggestions:

ØServe as a side dish
ØServe as a main dish with feta cubes
ØServe with slices of cooked chicken or beef