WHEAT BERRY SALAD WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES AND FRESH HERBS

"This salad makes a great accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken."

1 pound dried wheat berries*
3 quarts water
1/4 pound dried cranberries
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/3 cup packed, minced mixed fresh herbs**
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons light, fruity olive oil
salt and freshly-ground black pepper (to taste)

Boil the wheatberries in the 3 quarts salted water for 60 minutes, or until they are soft but still chewy. Drain them in a strainer.

Add the drained wheatberries to a large mixing bowl with the cranberries, red onion, and minced herbs.

Dissolve the salt in the raspberry vinegar and pour the vinegar over the wheatberries along with the oil. Let the salad sit, covered, for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. (The flavor is enhanced the longer the salad sits.)

Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

*Wheatberries are simply whole kernels harvested from the wheat plant and hulled. Hard red winter wheat is used for this salad to obtain a chewy texture and a russet background color.

**For the herbs, use whatever is available fresh; tarragon, chervil, rosemary, and chives make a particularly felicitous combination.

Servings: 8
Source: The Dean and Deluca Cookbook by David Rosengarten, Joel Dean, and Giorgio Deluca