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

by Maria Speck

A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE COOKBOOK • From amaranth and buckwheat to quinoa and spelt, discover the versatility, flavor, and sophistication of whole grains with over 75 satisfying recipes that draw on food traditions from across the Mediterranean and northern Europe.

“A sensuous love letter to the delicious possibilities of whole grains.”— The Kitchn
 
IACP Julia Child Award, Gourmand World Cookbook Award
One of The Washington Post ’s Ten Best Cookbooks of the Year

Food writer Maria Speck’s passion for propelling Old World staples such as farro, barley, buckwheat, 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, Buckwheat-Feta Burgers with Tangy Parsley 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.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Culinary, Health

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have since childhood had a deep and lasting love affair with whole unprocessed grains (and will therefore always stay away from any no or low carbohydrate diet trend, since to and for me, consuming enough whole grains on a daily basis also means having a balanced internal digestion and a clear skin, not to mention that first and foremost I just totally enjoy the taste of anything grain or cereal oriented). And thus, even the very title of Maria Speck’s 2011 cookbook Ancient Grains for Modern Meals: Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries & More already looked massively appealing. And yes, I certainly have not been disappointed, finding Maria Speck’s attitude to food itself both refreshing and encouraging and especially how she in my opinion successfully demonstrates that whole grains are both delicious and versatile and that they should also not just be considered as health and/or diet foods (and in whatever form, from whole grain flours and pastas to using the grains themselves in soups, stews, as accompaniments for vegetables, meats, seafood and yes indeed, not just as breakfast foods, although whole grains of course are wonderful and scrumptious breakfast fare).

A delightful selection of tempting, mouth-watering recipes (but no, unfortunately not all too many of them are strictly vegetarian or vegan) and of which the few recipes I have tried to date (mostly soups, pasta dishes and some of the cakes) have definitely been tasty and enjoyable, I have indeed much enjoyed reading Ancient Grains for Modern Meals: Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries & More, with the added and much appreciated bonus being that Maria Speck also provides information about how to store whole grains, how to cook with them and yes, how she herself sees food as something to be enjoyed and savoured (which I do think is essential with regard to in particular whole grains, since many of us do still tend to consider them as simply or as mostly health foods and rather medicinal in purpose).

[Katherine Collins]

If you purchased a big sack of spelt in a fit of wholesome intentions and find it still sitting in your pantry 6 months later, this book (along with “SuperNatural”) is for you! It’s chock full of delicious, uncomplicated recipes that leave you feeling genuinely nourished, without spending all day toiling with obscure ingredients. Really, anything that can get me to look forward to bulgur as much as pasta is genius – and this does it.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative cookbook for whole grains (and pseudo-grains). I will use the charts for cooking times and water to grain ratios frequently. I appreciate the way she melds her Greek and German heritage in these recipes. The cumin-scented quinoa (with sumac) was delicious, as was the artichoke quiche with Parmesan polenta crust. I look forward to cooking more from this book.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think my favorite part of this book are the two tables laying out the grains with how much water they need and their cooking time! But the full on recipes were inspirational as well. I'd like to spend more time with this book when my pantry is better set-up (recently moved and didn't bring heavy and bulky canisters and what not and haven't yet replaced them). I'll likely check this out from the library again at some point and perhaps add it to our culinary library once I've had the opportunity to cook a few of the recipes.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful to look at and full of enticing recipes using a variety of grains. The recipes sound good and the photographs look good. I want to try the Tomato-Rye Risotto with Cumin and Chorizo and the Cumin-Scented Quinoa with Red Beets. The Kamut Salad with Carrots and Pomegranate and the Saffron Waffles with Orange Cream are beautiful. The recipes provide ways to incorporate whole grains in every meal, in main dishes and side dishes.

[Michael Hentrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great introduction to the wide variety of whole grains out there and delicious ways to prepare them. I learned a lot about foods and grains from all over the world, and I even tried a few of the recipes in here as well. The "Greek Yogurt Ice Cream" and the "Mushrooms, Crisped Prosciutto and Dill" stew using barley were really delicious, and I look forward to trying many more recipes in the near future.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having owned this book less than. 24 hrs., I baked my first recipe from it-- a complete success. I expect many more successes from this treasure of a book. Received this as a gift-- and wow, such a gift! Written from the perspective of a foodie rather than a health fanatic, it is clearly going to become an essential item I reach for again and again.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am giving a 4-star rating because I have not actually tried any of the recipes yet. But I very much enjoyed reading this book and most everything looks delicious. I can't wait to try these recipes!

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Greek inspired recipes using a variety of whole grains. Not so much to my own taste.

[Klyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of good information and recipes.

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cookbook that focuses on: Mediterranean whole grain recipes for barley, farro, kamut, polenta, wheat berries, & more.... I know from experience there is such a large variety of grains that Armenians eat and so many ways to cook & serve them and that makes for nice & healthy change from Pilaf (white rice).

The book is printed on a semi-gloss paper with a smattering of large color photographs, many of which look quite appetizing. With a few exceptions there is one recipe per page (which makes me happy) with the title being in a medium bold brown font, a paragraph about the dish in small bold blue font (which is easy to read), the ingredients are in the left frame in small italics (making it very difficult to read them), and the instructions are printed in an equally small normal font (making it also difficult to read).

Contents: Acknowledgements; Introduction; Recipes; Sources; Bibliography; and Index.

Breakfast, Brunch, & Breads: Orange polentina w/ honey mascarpone topping; Warm museli w/ figs, pistachios & anise; Citrus oatmeal w/ apricots & golden raisins; Saffron waffle w/ orange cream; Fig muffins w/ creamy goat cheese filling; Pine nut bread w/ fennel & sun-dried tomatoes; and Wild rice frittata w/ mushrooms & crisped prosciutto

Salads & Sides: Warm pasta salad w/ spinach & fresh mint; barley salad w/ figs & tarragon-lemon dressing; Bulgur w/ butter roasted almonds & cinnamon; Warm oat berries w/ walnuts & Gorgonzola; Cumin scented quinoa w/ red beets; and Spring pilaf w/ artichokes and green peas

Soups & Stews: Acorn squash soup w/ spicy yogurt topping; Mediterranean mussels w/ farro and white wine; Bulgur lentil soup w/ minted olive oil butter; chicken stew w/ artichokes & dried apricots over brown rice; and Greek egg & lemon soup w/ chicken & brown rice

Burgers, Savory Cakes & More: brie cakes w/ sun-dried tomatoes; lamb burgers w/ bulgur & mint; Quinoa cakes w/ smoked trout & lime mayonnaise; and Sesame crusted fish sticks w/ yogurt remoulade

Pasta: Rustic linguine w/ summer herbs & olives; Creamy rotelle w/ basil yogurt & Mozzarella; Homemade spelt fettuccine; and Conchiglie w/ lamb & minted yogurt

Modern Mains: Artichoke rosemary tart w/ polenta crust; Spelt crust pizza w/ fennel, prosciutto, & apples; Roast chicken w/ orange, lavender & thyme; Oat pilaf w/ chicken livers, marsala & sage; Greek millet saganaki w/ shrimp & ouzo; and Saffron risotto w/ white wine, clams & peas

Sweet Endings: Honey almond cantuccini; Purple rice pudding w/ rose water dates; Riesling zabaglione over red currants; Wheat berry fools w/ Grand Marnier figs; Ricotta millet pudding w/ warm raspberry compote; and Creme au chocolat w/ brandied blackberries.....


Mostly all sound good to me and it would be an even better cookbook if I could read the print/font... for this minus a star!

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

i would have loved this cookbook ten years ago when i was wondering what to do with all these wheatberries and farro grains. you experiment, ultimately, and that's what this nice author has done too. you might find some good inspiration here. i didn't mark any favorite passages (recipes), but then again i can't even use up all my couscous so i don't know why i'd go to the trouble of buying kamut.

[Farrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book filled with easily veganizable recipes...(if you are vegan). The pages of research of the grains themselves is interesting. The Cumin Scented Quinoa Salad with Beets is creamy and refreshing. The recipes in this book cover all seasons, but the salads are unique and perfect for spring and summer approaching.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent basic introduction to whole grains and whole grain cookery. No preachy health food stance taken - simply good food made with good ingredients. Having just read through the book I have yet to try out any of the recipes, but they look easy enough to follow, and I'll be doing so over the next few weeks, picking out the ones that sound interesting to me on any given day.

[Jennifer Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greatly enjoyed this cookbook. It's one you can read and cook from both. The introductory section provided useful and interesting cultural and cooking information on a wide variety of grains. I had time to make the rosemary lemon scones before I returned it to the library. It's one I plan to return to again and again.

[Rosemary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Checked this out after seeing it in a 'Top cookbook of 2011' list. Fairly satisfied Good for a library checkout -- there weren't enough recipes that personally appealed to me to make me want to buy it for my discerning cookbook shelf.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love her approach to eating "healthy," and all the great details on grains. This book is awesome just because of the cooking time chart and grain reviews. Although most of the recipes are a little too fancy for me, I can see a lot of great things to adapt and incorporate into my family's meals.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice book for a home cook in that it offers recipes with interesting flavor combinations that do not require too many ingredients. Speck's Mediterranean background is a big influence on the recipes.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book to introduce you to the vast variety of grains. Often our modern culture cooks mainly with wheat, corn, oats, and rice. But there are so many other grains including amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, millet, quinoa, rye, kamut, spelt, and farro.

[BookBec · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more ... whole grains are so tasty! But I stay away from sugar and dairy products, which meant there were many, many no-go recipes for me. (The author is very fond of Greek yogurt in and on her dishes.) I will definitely try the quinoa cakes with smoked trout!

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would eat everything is this cook book. Plus it's well written and informative.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting things to do with ancient grains. Not sure if it will make me love bulger though.

[Jolene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great recipes of whole foods and ancients grains. Many ancient grains are good for those trying to go gluten free!

[Carol Penn-Romine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! This book is a keeper.

[Firefly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just what I've been looking for.. for everrr! Great Ideas.. great photos. This book makes me hungry.

[Mary]

These are healthy grains, people. Get cooking! I found this book at the library & it gave me some good inspiration.

[Beka · Rating 3 out of 5]

A must read for someone who's interested in whole grains, though I didn't find a recipe to spark my interest.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book for beginning and experienced ancient grain users alike. Delicious, healthy recipes throughout.

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

great recipes.