Have you guys heard of Kamut? I'd been hearing about it recently, and it sounded right up my alley, as I love quinoa, farro, and other grains. Kamut is a brand of khorasan wheat, which is an ancient grain that has been described as a "high-energy wheat" because of its high percentage of lipids. It is higher in protein than modern wheat.
I recently got some samples of Kamut khorasan wheat berries, flour, and flakes. So far I have broken into the berries and used them in a simple dish with roasted vegetables, sherry vinegar, and Parmesan.
I'm not a health nut by any means and most often eat things because I enjoy their taste and texture. So it doesn't hurt that Kamut khorasan wheat has so much going for it nutritionwise, but I found that I liked the berries for what they add to a dish. Similar to farro, the Kamut khorasan wheat berries have a firm, yet toothsome, texture and nutty flavor.
Before I started cooking the wheat berries, I looked up typical cooking instructions for them and found that that are often soaked and given a shorter cooking time, or if they're left unsoaked, they have to cook for about an hour. I wasn't in a hurry, so I started with unsoaked wheat berries. I added the wheat berries and some salt to boiling water, covered them, and simmered them for about an hour. This gave me plenty of time to prep and cook my other ingredients.
I roasted cauliflower, broccoli, and red onion. When those were done, I popped some cocktail tomatoes in the oven for a few minutes, just until they warmed through and started to burst.
Once all the vegetables were cooked, I mixed them together with some sherry vinegar (you can use a different vinegar if you like, but I think the sherry vinegar pairs really well with all the other components).
I added the wheat berries to the mix once they were ready. Then I seasoned the whole dish with salt and pepper and additional sherry vinegar. Served with a little grated Parmesan cheese, the mixture of Kamut khorasan wheat berries and vegetables was full of complementary flavors and textures.
If you're looking for a new grain to try or want to shake up your rice or pasta routine, I recommend giving this ancient grain a try.
Kamut Khorasan Wheat Berries With Roasted Vegetables And Sherry Vinegar
Chock-full of roasted vegetables and nutty Kamut khorasan wheat berries,
this dish is full of flavor and texture.
Print this recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
1 cup KAMUT khorasan wheat berries
Kosher salt and pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 head cauliflower
1 to 2 broccoli crowns
1 red onion
10 ounces cocktail tomatoes (I used Backyard Farms)
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
Grated or shredded Parmesan cheese, for serving
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Add wheat berries and a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, or until wheat berries have desired texture.
Line a baking sheet with foil and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Trim leaves and core of cauliflower and cut into 8 wedges. Trim and quarter broccoli crowns. Peel and quarter onion, keeping root ends intact. Arrange cauliflower, broccoli, and onion on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and browned, turning and stirring halfway through roasting.
Transfer the vegetables to a cutting board and chop into bite-size pieces. Combine in a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of sherry vinegar.
Arrange the tomatoes on the same baking sheet, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 5 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, carefully quarter, and add to vegetable mixture (including juice and seeds).
Once the wheat berries are cooked, drain them and add them to the vegetable mixture. Stir in 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of sherry vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with Parmesan.
The dish can be served hot, at room temperature, or cold. It will last a couple of days in the fridge and is actually more flavorful the second day when all the flavors have had time to really meld.
What are your favorite grains to cook with?
I received samples of KAMUT khorasan wheat berries, flour, and flakes to try. As always, all opinions are my own.