Coming up over the next couple of months: It's almost time for Jāņi, so we'll be making another Jāņu siers (this time, I'm making a spicy one!). Rhubarb is finally showing up in stores, so there'll be some rhubarb recipes -- my husband has asked me to make him a rhubarb dessert for his birthday and rhubarb-strawberry preserves. And, if all goes well, the long-awaited post on an easier way to make good biezpiens, along with making ryazhenka at home, will be finished too.Now! On to today's recipe: This was inspired by a recipe that my mom has made for me a couple of times in the past few years. Every time she's made it, I think of something else that would be great in it... and always forget to suggest it when she makes it the next time. She made it for me and my husband a little while ago and I decided this time, I wouldn't forget! So I made it again a few days later. It came out beautifully. The triticale's chewiness contrasted nicely with the softness of the orzo. (Any chewy grain would work well in its place, like barley or brown rice.) I did wind up throwing in whatever was in the fridge that needed to be used, but it resulted in a well-rounded, delicious salad, so I'm not unhappy. Yes, it's written in metric. However, for all of the metric without American equivalents, I used around 1/2 cup for each. (My usual mis-en-place dishes are 1/2 cup glass bowls.)
Serves 2 - 3
Soak the triticale in salted water overnight. In a pot of boiling, salted water, boil the soaked triticale for 40 minutes. Add orzo and boil for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Strain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking and prevent sticking.
In a large, deep saute pan, heat oil or butter over moderate heat. Add leek and spices, saute for 2 - 3 minutes to soften. Add garlic, carrot and corn or peas, saute for a minute before adding sun-dried tomatoes, beans and walnuts, cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup of chicken broth and stir in kale. Cover and let steam for 3 to 4 minutes.
Uncover and stir in orzo-triticale mixture and grape tomatoes. Crumble in the chevre and feta, then add remaining 1/4 cup of chicken broth. Stir well to melt the cheeses, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve.
Notes: