The Ligety, Leader, Juliano team with Summit Sotheby’s specializes in unique open house events and creative services, always providing a recipe for success. As part of the Ligety, Leader, Juliano team, Mary Leader is known for her amazing, homemade, locally sourced spreads at realtor open houses. We asked Leader for the recipe for her wheatberry salad, one in high demand when she serves it at gatherings.
Next time you are looking for that perfect summer salad for an evening dining al fresco at home, look no further than the recipe below. Enjoy!
Mary, Bill and Page preparing for one of their famous open houses.
Notes
Serves 6.
Make a meal out of the salad by marinating chicken breasts or fresh salmon in a bit of the dressing and tossing on the grill.
Ingredients
- For the Salad
- 2 cups soft wheatberries, rinsed
- (You can substitute with Israeli Couscous or packaged Natural Grains from Trader Joe's)
- 6 cups water
- 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
- Handful mixed raisins/dried fruit (such as dried cherries or cranberries)
- 3 generous handfuls of baby spinach leaves, stems removed
- 1 cup toasted pine nuts
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- For the Citrus Dressing
- Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine wheatberries, water and 2 teaspoons salt in large saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to boil, lower heat, and simmer until plump and chewy, about an hour. The berries should stay al dente and the only way to be sure they’re done is to taste a few. Drain and season with more salt if necessary.
- Meanwhile, to make the dressing, combine the orange zest and lemon and orange juices, and shallot.
- Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the hot wheatberries with the spinach, pine nuts, dried fruit, citrus dressing and top
- with feta. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or room temperature.
