Dan's Papers - February 22, 2008 - Silvia Lehrer's Cooking Column

Hot, steamy soups and long simmering stews often take over our daily fare on chilly wintry days. Yet winter offers a whole season worth of pungent greens, fruits and vegetables for light and healthy winter salad pleasures.

Fennel, for instance, available from fall through spring, peaks in mid-winter. In Elizabeth Schneider's Uncommon Fruits and Vegetables, Harper and Row, she suggests that the feathery topped light green vegetables is often linked to licorice or anise, which is a shame as it is lighter and less persistent than either flavor. The body and texture of fennel enlivens a delectable salad of apples and endive with intensely flavored Roquefort vinaigrette.

The grain farro has been very much in the culinary media news of late. An ancient grain that thrived in Europe thousands of years ago, it is referred to in the Bible as spelt. It's very popular in Italian cooking. Farro may be found in gourmet markets or may be substituted with wheat berries, which are readily available in health food stores.

I had a pomegranate left over in my fridge from the holidays. I added the fleshy, scarlet seeds to a wheat berry salad with scallions and slivered almonds and dressed it with pomegranate juice for a nutty, energizing, and delicious treat. Purchase impeccably fresh ingredients and high quality condiments to enhance the flavor of your winter salads.

FENNEL, APPLE AND ENDIVE SALAD
WITH TOASTED WALNUTS
Crisp, aromatic fennel with apple and endive makes
a festive dinner party first course.
Serves 8-10

1/2 cup walnut halves
2 large fresh fennel
2 Granny Smith apples
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 large endive

Dressing
4 ounces Roquefort or Cabrales (Spanish blue-veined cheese)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup fresh cold water
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Toast walnut halves in preheated 375-degree oven for 6-7 minutes until lightly browned and crisp.
2. Peel, core and halve apples then slice into thin wedges. Put into a bowl and toss carefully with lemon juice. Cut fennel lengthwise into thin slices; remove the core and separate slices into sticks. Soak in a bowl of ice water to cover then drain and pat dry. Toss gently with apples and set aside. Separate endive spears, wash and spin-dry then wrap in paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
3. Prepare dressing - crumble cheese into a blender or work bowl of food processor fitted with steel knife. Add all remaining ingredients except oil. Blend or process to mix, scraping down sides as necessary. Gradually pour oil through opening in blender cover or through feed tube of processor and blend to mix thoroughly. Taste to adjust seasoning if necessary. Scrape mixture into a bowl or small pitcher. Refrigerate in a suitable container if doing ahead.
4. Assemble salad - fan 4 or 5 endive spears on a salad plate. Divide apple/fennel mixture equally in a mound at the core end of the spears. Drizzle over dressing and sprinkle with toasted walnuts.

To Prepare Ahead - prepare dressing up to two days ahead. Refrigerate, covered in a suitable container. Toast walnuts and prepare apples, fennel and endive up to several hours ahead.

WHEATBERRY SALAD WITH SCALLION, POMEGRANATE AND SLIVERED ALMONDS
Dried cranberries can be substituted if pomegranate seeds are not availible.
Serves 6

1 cup wheat berries
2 1/2 cups cold water
1 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
1 small to medium red onion, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon sniped dried hot pepper flakes or to taste
3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
2-3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
2-3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pomegranate juice
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Boston lettuce cups, washed and spin-dried

1. Toast the wheat berries in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 6-7 minutes, until toasty and aromatic. Rinse the berries in a strainer and drain. Transfer to a medium saucepan, add the water and let soak for a minimum of 1 hour or overnight. Bring to a boil over high heat and add salt. Cover pan, adjust heat to a brisk simmer and cook about 1 hour. Check the water level to be sure the berries are covered with water at all times. Remove from heat and let rest in the covered pan for 10-15 minutes.
2. Soak the chopped red onion in a bowl of water to cover for 20-30 minutes. Drain in a sieve and squeeze dry in a clean kitchen towel. Put onions in a mixing bowl with dried pepper flakes, scallions, pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries, parsley and almonds. Toss with the cooked wheat berries and dress with olive oil, pomegranate and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be prepared ahead to this point.
3. Arrange 6 lettuce cups on salad plates and divide wheat berry salad equally into each lettuce cup and serve.