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.
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. 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.

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

Maria Speck is the award-winning author of Simply Ancient Grains, which was selected as a top cookbook for 2015 by the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, and Sweet Paul, as well as on NPR’s Here & Now. It also won an M.F.K. Fisher award, first prize in the book category. Maria’s first cookbook, Ancient Grains for Modern Meals, received multiple awards, among them the coveted Julia Child Award. Both the New York Times and the Washington Post named Ancient Grains a top cookbook, and Cooking Light included it as one of 100 best cookbooks of the past 25 years. Raised in Greece and Germany, Maria has a lifelong passion for whole grains. She is a veteran journalist and food writer and has contributed to numerous publications in both the US and Germany.