Why this recipe works endive makes lovely light salads, but it’s also a great choice for a substantial summer dinner salad. Here it’s paired with nutty, chewy wheat berries, creamy goat cheese, and sweet fresh blueberries. We cooked the wheat berries like pasta, simply simmering them in a large pot of water until they were tender but still had some nice chew. A bright vinaigrette made with champagne vinegar, shallot, chives, and mustard brought all the ingredients together harmoniously. If using quick-cooking or presteamed wheat berries (read the package carefully to determine this), you will need to adjust the wheat berry cooking time downward in step 1.
SERVES: 4 to 6
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1½ cups wheat berries
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 heads Belgian endive (4 ounces each), halved, cored, and sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick
- 7½ ounces (1½ cups) blueberries
- ¾ cup pecans, toasted and chopped
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add wheat berries and ¼ teaspoon salt, partially cover, and cook, stirring often, until wheat berries are tender but still chewy, 50 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cool; drain well.
- Whisk vinegar, shallot, chives, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil until combined. Add drained wheat berries, endive, blueberries, and pecans and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with goat cheese, and serve.
