Wheat Berries and Flavors of the Basque
July 19, 2010 in Main Dish, Seafood by Joyce Bunderson
Have you ever noticed when you’re cooking, the instructions frequently tell you to put the herbs or spices into the oil? That’s because the oil absorbs and carries the flavor. Some people even put their garlic cloves into jars of oil to serve two purposes; 1) the garlic lasts longer, 2) the oil becomes infused with the flavor of garlic, and then you can cook with that oil.
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked wheat berries
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon chili flakes
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped mushrooms
14 ounces diced tomatoes, no salt added variety works fine
2 cups zucchini, diced
1 cup green bell pepper, sliced
1 cup red bell pepper, sliced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoons orange zest
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
½ pound scallops
½ pound shrimps
1 cup coarsely chopped avocado
Slice of lemon or lime with each serving
Directions:
If you have cooked frozen wheat berries, defrost; or cook 2 cups of wheat berries in 4 cups water for about 1 ¼ hour, until tender.
Infuse oil with chili flakes – about one minute. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté until onions are clear – about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, paprika, thyme, oregano, pepper, orange zest, and garlic – sauté until vegetables are tender and all ingredients are heated. Add the wheat berries and stir together. Add the scallops and shrimp. Continue to sauté until the shrimp and scallops are cooked through.
Serve topped with chopped avocado and a slice of lemon or lime.