This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe (Wheat Berry and Tuna Salad, p 139) was one I was super excited about – not for the tuna, mind you (I had no intention of making a tuna dish, it’s one of the fish I really cannot eat) – because it involved wheat berries. Wheat berries are becoming very mainstream but I have been eating since I lived in France and ate Ebly, the quick cooking variety, very very often. I remember friends visiting me in France eating the wheat berry salad I served them asking me what it was and I literally had no idea what it was in English, having not seen this type of product before living in Paris. When I arrived in Canada, the only way I would get my fix was when I visited France and brought back a few packets to ration for myself! Now, of course, you can get wheat berries in most health-food stores (I found mine at the local supermarket!) so it’s much less exotic. Though I have never seen the quick cook variety at home, I am just pleased to get the regular kind and recreate the kinds of salads I virtually live off of when I am in France (as in, the past 10 days!).
I made this for a friend the night before I left for Paris (well, for the first time…) and we both loved it. I didn’t substitute anything for the missing tuna but just added hard boiled eggs and goat cheese for protein and some avocado for healthy fats. Served on a bed of arugula, this made for a wonderfully satisfying meal that you felt good about eating.
No sooner had I arrived in France than I was off to the supermarket to get some staples, including Ebly – sometimes when I am jetlagged I just want a fast meal that is filling and Ebly with a few tomatoes and maybe a hard boiled egg always does the trick. I also bought my favourite Tipiak Céréales Méditerranéennes and made a whole lot of different salads in this manner over the past week.
Of course Dorie’s version is the winner in all the versions I have tried:
It’s so simple with a mustard vinaigrette, celery, onion, apple, peppers and tomatoes mixed into the wheat berries, but it has so much going on – it’s what I like to tell my dad is an “interesting salad” – yes, Dad, they do exist! Have mum make this one for you – it’s fantastic!
French Fridays with Dorie participants do not publish the recipes on our blogs (though this week, you can find the recipe online here), we prefer if you purchase Around My French Table for yourselves which you can do here on Amazon or Amazon Canada. Or for free worldwide shipping, buy from The Book Depository. Go on, treat yourself then join us here!
__________________________________
Did you read my blog in your Google Reader? Did you know that Google Reader is longer as of July 1st? What to do? Well you can follow my blog with bloglovin! (and all your other favourites too!) or for a few other suggestions for RSS readers to replace Google Reader, read my post.
* Canadian residents – enter to win a SodaStream Jet machine – closes Wednesday, July 10th 2013 after 6pm EST – enter here!
** Congrats to Brenda who won my $50 Kraft Canada gift basket giveaway – I’ll be emailing you today!
Did you know I’m in London right now?
Follow my Summer 2013 Flickr set or
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
I love “interesting” salads 🙂 This was a winner…and yours looks marvelous! Enjoy London, my friend…
I´ve used cooked wheat berries a lot in breads in the past, but must start having it around more often. It is a wonderful grain, I agree. The presentation is gorgeous Mardi!
It makes me happy to see some of these grains becoming more mainstream – I like rice and oatmeal, but it sure is nice to have options.
Great salad ideas!
All of your meals, even the jet lag recovery one, look delicious. I’m a big fan of grain salads but wheat berries are somewhat new to me. I’m afraid to say that I don’t make them very often because of the cooking time though so I am definitely going to look around to see if I can’t find that quick cook stuff here.
I live off of “interesting salads”. I think they are my favorite thing to cook. I found quick cooking farro at Trader Joe’s. Don’t know whether those are in Toronto yet. Hope you are having fun in Paris! Bon Weekend!
So pretty.
Looks like something you’d serve in the French countryside….
Asparagus and goats cheese are great additions! Your little lunch box looks so neat – it inspires me to take this salad to work in the warmer weather.
Just looking at your beautiful pictures makes me wish you could make this for me again this evening. It was so delicious! I’m going to try to make it this weekend, but not sure I can match the Mardi version. Mmmm. 🙂
Now that I’m back to (temporarily) working I need to try this for my work lunch rotation 🙂
Loved, loved, loved your Post. Although I’ve inhabited French grovery stores often, I’ve never seen Ebly. As far as wheat berries go, they haven’t visited my pantry either. I couldn’t find them – used Israeli couscous – but now know I can buy them in bulk at Whole Foods. So, I intend to do that Monday and make the real-deal, Dorie-style. Like you and your Dad, I agree that this is an interesting salad. I love it. Yours looks beautiful. Enjoy. Enjoy your travels.
Looks like a great idea – especially for hot weather. I like salads that have a bit of substance to them – some grains or potatoes. I bet this would work well with something like pearled spelt as well? I’ll have to try it.
I’m following your French/English travels with a little envy, but not too much as we’ll be there in January!
Nice salad – I’ve never tried wheat berries, but keep hearing about them.
Oh yum! Sounds like a perfect meal. I like the egg, goat cheese and avocado sub for tuna.