Wheat Berry, Porcini and Root Vegetable Potpies

Ingredients

Crust
6 ounces whole-wheat pastry flour (scant 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk

Filling

3 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled celery root
1-1/2 cups (1/4-inch) sliced carrot
1-1/4 cups (1/4-inch) sliced parsnips (cut any large rounds into half-moons)
cooking spray
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
3 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon butter
2/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup Madeira wine
2/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1.33 ounces whole-wheat pastry flour (about 1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked wheat berries or spelt berries

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon 6 ounces pastry flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Combine 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup milk. Add to flour mixture. Stir mixture until dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.
3. To prepare filling, combine celery root, carrot, and parsnips on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and toss to coat. Cover pan with foil. Bake at 425ºF for 15 minutes; uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Remove from oven (do not turn oven off).
4. Place porcini in a medium bowl. Add 3 cups boiling water. Cover and let stand 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
5. Strain through a sieve over a 2-cup glass measuring cup, reserving liquid. Chop mushrooms.
6. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and swirl until butter melts. Add shallots, thyme, and garlic. Saute 3 minutes.
7. Add wine. Cook 1 minute or until liquid mostly evaporates.
8. Slowly pour in porcini soaking liquid, leaving grit behind in bottom of measuring cup. Bring to a boil.
9. Combine 2/3 cup milk and 1.33 ounces flour, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to pan, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in 1 teapoon salt, pepper, wheat berries or spelt, mushrooms, and vegetables. Remove from heat.
10. Remove dough from refrigerator and cut into 6 equal pieces.
11. Roll each dough piece into a ball. Roll each dough ball between sheets of plastic wrap into a 5-inch circle.
12. Divide filling evenly among 6 (10-ounce) ramekins and top each with 1 dough circle. Tuck edges of dough under, or loosely pleat around edge. Cut slits in dough to vent.
13. Place ramekins on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan. Bake at 425ºF for 25 minutes or until crust is browned and filling is bubbly.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Everyday Whole Grain

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Strawberry Crush

Ingredients

4 cups strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1 cup ice cubes
1/4 cup whole unblanched almonds
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons almond-flavored liqueur, such as Amaretto
2 teaspoons slivered unblanched almonds, for garnish

Method

1. Place strawberries in an airtight container or plastic bag and leave in the freezer for 1-1/2 hours.
2. Remove strawberries from freezer. Place half of the frozen strawberries in the jar of a blender. Add ice, whole almonds, sugar, milk, and liqueur and as many more strawberries as will fit. Blend until there is enough room to add more strawberries.
3. Add remaining strawberries and blend until smooth and spoonable. Divide among 4 serving dishes. Garnish with slivered almonds and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Martha Stewart Living

Moroccan Beans

Ingredients

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (14-ounce) can butter beans or lima beans, drained
1 (14-ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes, with juice
1 cup vegetable stock
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup currants
fresh basil leaves, torn, to garnish

Method

1. Saute the ginger, cinnamon, cumin seeds, and turmeric in the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute.
2. Add the onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the red kidney beans, butter beans, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Toast the pine nuts in a small pan over medium heat until golden, 5 minutes.
5. Add the currants and pine nuts to the beans. Sprinkle with the basil and serve hot.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Modern Mediterranean Cooking

Tuna Steak with Lemons and Olives

Ingredients

4 fresh tuna steaks, each weighing about 4 oz
5 untreated lemons
7 tbsp olive oil, cold pressed
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
6 tbsp green olives in oil

Method

1. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the juice of 2 lemons and 4 tbsp olive oil. Leave to marinate for 1 hour.
2. Wash the remaining lemons and cut into wedges.
3. Drain the tuna steaks and fry in a hot frying pan, without adding any oil, for 1-2 minutes each side.
4. Take the steaks out of the pan and put onto plates.
5. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil and the rest of the marinade in the hot frying pan and quickly saute the lemon wedges. Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze the lemon wedges lightly with a fork.
6. Arrange the lemon wedges on the plates with the tuna steaks and drizzle each serving with a little of the hot lemon oil. Season with salt and plenty of pepper.
7. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately garnished with 2-3 olives.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Mediterranean Cuisine

Raspberry Meringue Trifles

Ingredients

Meringue

4 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Custard

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
dash salt
3 cups 2% milk
4 egg yolks
1-2 tsp raspberry or vanilla extract
1-1/2 to 2 cups fresh raspberries

Topping

2 cups whipped cream
chocolate garnish (optional)
mint leaves

Method

1. In a large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
2. Gradually add sugar. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
3. Beat in vanilla. Spoon mixture onto foil-lined baking sheet. Spread evenly over pan. Bake at 250°F (120°C) for 2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool.
4. To make custard, in a medium-size saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt. Add milk and egg yolks and whisk to combine. Place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in raspberry or vanilla extract. Cover top with plastic wrap. Cool in refrigerator.
6. Break meringue into small pieces, about 1/2-inch in size.
7. Spoon 2 tbsp of custard into each dessert cup or glass. Sprinkle each with some of the meringue pieces, followed by some fresh raspberries. Repeat layers. Top each dessert with whipped cream, raspberries and a mint leaf.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Manitoba Egg Farmers