Wheatberry ‘Paella’ With Chickpeas & Leeks

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1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup wheatberries
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
2 pcs leeks, white and green parts only sliced into ¼ inch half moons and washed well
6 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay is great)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 pcs roasted red peppers jarred or homemade, finely chopped
2 pcs bay leaves
4 teaspoons capers
Lots of fresh black pepper
2 cups drained, cooked chickpeas (one 15 oz can should work)
1/4 cup parsley or cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

This is my favorite cooking method for perfectly cooked, plump wheatberries with great texture. Just place them in a 2 quart pot and submerge in water that covers them by 2 extra inches. Cover and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes then turn the heat off completely. Keep covered and let steam for another hour. They should be firm and chewy, but if you think they are a tad too firm that’s okay because we’re going to cook them the rest of the way in the paella. Drain and set aside.

In order to get the most flavor from saffron, they need to be steeped. It’s very easy, just pour 1/2 cup of boiling hot water over the saffron in a coffee mug, cover and let sit for about an hour. Once ready to use, press against the saffron with the back of a spoon to crush it a little. It’s now ready to use.

First you’re going to saute the leeks and set them aside. I love the delicate oniony-ness of leeks and it will get lost if they’re overcooked, so this method works wonders – we’ll add them back to the pan at the end. So… in a large pan over medium heat, saute leeks in 1 tablespoon olive oil with a pinch of salt for about 7 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
In the same pan over medium low heat, saute garlic in 2 teaspoons olive oil for about a minute. Add the oregano and thyme and saute for about 30 more seconds. Add white wine, salt and saffron threads in water and turn the heat up high. Bring to a boil and let boil and reduce for about 3 minutes.
Lower heat back to medium, add the cooked wheatberries, vegetable broth, tomato paste, roasted red peppers, bay leaves, capers and fresh black pepper. Let cook for about 15 minutes adding the chickpeas about halfway through. The wheatberries should absorb a lot of the liquid, but it should still be somewhat saucy. Remove bay leaves and taste for salt.
Mix in the chopped parsley or cilantro and lemon juice. Turn off heat and let sit for about 10 minutes to let the flavors marry. It’s one of those things that will taste even better in an hour or so, so if you’ve got that kind of time then go for it, just gently reheat before serving.

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