Ancient Grains for Modern Meals: Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries & More

Food writer Maria Speck’s passion for propelling Old World staples such as farro, barley, polenta, and wheat berries to the forefront of new American cooking is beautifully presented in Ancient Grains for Modern Meals. In this inspired and highly personal book, Maria Speck draws on food traditions from across the Mediterranean and northern Europe to reveal how versatile, satisfying, flavorful, and sophisticated whole grains can be.  

 

Rustic but elegant dishes--Creamy Farro with Honey-Roasted Grapes, Barley Salad with Figs and Tarragon-Lemon Dressing, Lamb Stew with Wheat Berries in Red Wine Sauce, and Purple Rice Pudding with Rose Water Dates--are sure to please discerning palates and become favorites in any whole grain repertoire.

 

Food lovers and health-conscious home chefs alike learn how to integrate whole grains into their busy lives, from quick-cooking quinoa and buckwheat to the slower varieties such as spelt and Kamut. The stunning flavors and lively textures of whole grains are enhanced with natural ingredients such as butter, cream, and prosciutto--in moderation--to create lush Mediterranean-inspired recipes. Maria’s approachable style and generous spirit make this collection of time-honored, updated classics a treasury for today’s cooks.

A whole-grain cookbook featuring well-balanced and wholesome recipes inspired by the Mediterranean cuisines of Greece, southern France, Italy, and Turkey.

Author Maria Speck loves whole grains such as farro, barley, quinoa, and spelt, not only because they are healthy and nutritious, but also because they are versatile ingredients for delicious and satisfying breakfasts, breads, salads, soups, main dishes, and desserts. In Ancient Grains for Modern Meals, Speck draws on her Greek mother’s cooking and the foods of her European upbringing to offer 100 recipes that fuse tradition with flavors for the modern palate. Rustic yet elegant dishes such as Creamy Breakfast Farro with Honey-Roasted Grapes, Quinoa Cakes with Smoked Trout, Red Wine Braised Lamb with Wheat Berries, and Ricotta Millet Pudding with Blood Orange Syrup are wonderful additions to every home cook’s whole-grain repertoire.

Acknowledgments  •  vii

 

Introduction: The Glamour of Whole Grains  •  1

 

Musings on Health, Dieting, and Good Eating • The Whole Grains on My Table • Kitchen Basics for Whole Grains • Baking Basics for Whole Grain Flours • Equipment • ingredients

 

CHAPTER 1  --  BREAKFAST, BRUNCH, & BREADS  •  38

 

Never Give up Baguette, with Butter • 40

Orange Polentina with Honey-Mascarpone Topping • 41

Warm Muesli with Figs, Pistachios, and Anise • 42

Dark Chocolate Muesli with Hazelnuts • 43

Creamy Farro with Honey-Roasted Grapes • 45

Citrus Oatmeal with Apricots and Golden Raisins • 46

Honey-Nut Granola with Olive Oil • 47

Chewy Almond Butter Bars • 48

Apricot-Lemon Bars with Cherries • 49

Saffron Waffles with Orange Cream • 51

Cornmeal Pancakes with Warm Cherry Sauce • 53

Date-Apricot Muffins with Anise • 54

Fig Muffins with Creamy Goat Cheese Filling • 57

Orange-Scented Scones with Dark Chocolate • 58

Lemon-Rosemary Scones • 60

Tangerine-Lavender Coffee Cake • 61

Walnut Spice Breakfast Cake • 62

Pine Nut Bread with Fennel and Sun-Dried Tomatoes • 64

Sweet Zucchini Bread with Mint • 66

Wild Rice Frittata with Mushrooms and Crisped Prosciutto • 67

Olive Bread with Bacon and Thyme • 69

Floating Sesame Loaf • 71

Aroma Bread with Coriander and Fennel • 74

Pumpernickel (German Whole Grain Rye Bread) • 77

Oats: Sweet and Sturdy • 79

 

CHAPTER 2  --  SALADS & SIDES  •  80

 

Everyone Needs a Masala Dabba • 82

Warm Pasta Salad with Spinach and Fresh Mint • 84

Barley Salad with Figs and Tarragon-Lemon Dressing • 85

Kamut Salad with Carrots and Pomegranate • 87

Bulgur with Butter-Roasted Almonds and Cinnamon • 88

Parmesan Polenta with Rosemary Oil Drizzle • 89

Lemon Quinoa with Currants, Dill, and Zucchini • 90

Saffron Couscous • 91

Leek Salad with Grilled Haloumi Cheese and Rye Berries • 92

Summer Tabouli with Farro • 94

Cumin-Scented Quinoa with Red Beets • 95

Warm Oat Berries with Walnuts and Gorgonzola • 96

Tomato-Infused Bulgur Pilaf with Fresh Basil • 98

Spicy Millet with Yogurt and Fresh Herbs • 99

Spring Pilaf with Artichokes and Green Peas • 101

Orange and Lemon Couscous • 102

Speedy Chickpea Couscous with Pesto • 102

Greek-Style Cornbread with Feta and Thyme • 103

Barley with Crisped Prosciutto and Truffle Oil • 104

Rustic Fall Polenta with Fontina and Sun-Dried Tomatoes • 105

Corn: Comforting and Uplifting  • 107

 

CHAPTER 3 --  SOUPS & STEWS  •  108

 

Everyone Needs a Masala Dabba • 82

Warm Pasta Salad with Spinach and Fresh Mint • 84

Barley Salad with Figs and Tarragon-Lemon Dressing • 85

Kamut Salad with Carrots and Pomegranate • 87

Bulgur with Butter-Roasted Almonds and Cinnamon • 88

Parmesan Polenta with Rosemary Oil Drizzle • 89

Lemon Quinoa with Currants, Dill, and Zucchini • 90

Saffron Couscous • 91

Leek Salad with Grilled Haloumi Cheese and Rye Berries • 92

Summer Tabouli with Farro • 94

Cumin-Scented Quinoa with Red Beets • 95

Warm Oat Berries with Walnuts and Gorgonzola • 96

Tomato-Infused Bulgur Pilaf with Fresh Basil • 98

Spicy Millet with Yogurt and Fresh Herbs • 99

Spring Pilaf with Artichokes and Green Peas • 101

Orange and Lemon Couscous • 102

Speedy Chickpea Couscous with Pesto • 102

Greek-Style Cornbread with Feta and Thyme • 103

Barley with Crisped Prosciutto and Truffle Oil • 104

Rustic Fall Polenta with Fontina and Sun-Dried Tomatoes • 105

Corn: Comforting and Uplifting  • 107

 

CHAPTER 4  — BURGERS, SAVORY CAKES, & MORE  •  130

 

Smelling Cows and Cutlets • 132

Brie Cakes with Sun-Dried Tomatoes • 134

Lamb Burgers with Bulgur and Mint • 136

Buckwheat-Feta Burgers with Tangy Parsley Sauce • 137

Quinoa Cakes with Smoked Trout and Lime Mayonnaise • 140

Zucchini-Dill Bites with Pine Nuts • 141

Crispy Brown Rice Cakes with Green Olives, Pecorino, and Sage • 143

Sesame-Crusted Fish Sticks with Yogurt Rémoulade • 144

Buckwheat: Bold and Almost Instant • 145

 

CHAPTER 5  — PASTA  •  146

 

My Life with Two Grain Mills • 148

Farmers’ Market Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes, Rosemary, and Basil • 149

Fettuccine with Salmon, Tomatoes, and Golden Raisins • 150

Spaghetti with Radicchio, Caramelized Shallots, and Bacon • 151

Rustic Linguine with Summer Herbs and Olives • 152

Spicy Spaghetti with Caramelized Onions, Anchovies, and Tuna • 154

Creamy Rotelle with Basil Yogurt and Mozzarella • 155

Spaghetti with Roasted Chestnuts, Hazelnuts, and Sage • 156

Homemade Spelt Fettuccine • 159

Conchiglie with Lamb and Minted Yogurt  • 162

Farro: Ancient and Ambrosial • 163

 

CHAPTER 6 --  MODERN MAINS  •  164

 

Worth Waiting For • 166

Artichoke-Rosemary Tart with Polenta Crust • 168

Tomato-Rye Risotto with Cumin and Chorizo • 171

Easy Whole Wheat and Olive Oil Tart Shell • 172

Sardine Tart with Sweet Bell Peppers and Currants • 174

Lamb Chops with Walnut-Sage Crust • 175

Spelt Crust Pizza with Fennel, Prosciutto, and Apples • 176

Roast Chicken with Orange, Lavender, and Thyme • 179

Oat Pilaf with Chicken Livers, Marsala, and Sage • 180

Saffron Risotto with White-Wine Clams and Peas • 182

Caramelized Onion Quiche with Lavender and Crisped Prosciutto • 184

Greek Millet Saganaki with Shrimp and Ouzo • 186

Rye: Tangy and Surprisingly Sweet • 188

 

CHAPTER 7 — SWEET ENDINGS  •  190

 

Intoxicating Fruit • 192

Strazzate (Italian Chocolate-Almond Cookies) • 194

Honey-Almond Cantuccini • 195

Purple Rice Pudding with Rose Water Dates • 196

Greek Yogurt Ice Cream • 198

Orange-Rosemary Cookies with Olive Oil • 199

Riesling Zabaglione over Red Currants • 200

Almond-Peach Clafouti • 201

Wheat Berry Fools with Grand Marnier Figs • 203

Greek Walnut-Barley Cake • 204

Dark Chocolate Cake with Amaretto • 205

Ricotta Millet Pudding with Warm Raspberry Compote • 206

Crème au Chocolat with Brandied Blackberries • 207

Amaranth-Walnut Cookies with Brandy • 208

Lemon-Scented Olive Oil Cake with Plumped Figs • 210

Pomegranate Yogurt Parfait with a Kick • 211

Artisanal Fruit Bread • 212

Whole Wheat and Butter Tart Crust • 213

Dark Chocolate Truffle Tart with Walnuts • 215

Millet: Sweet, and Waiting to Be Served • 216

 

 

Sources  •  219

Bibliography  •  221

Index  •  223