Rye Berry Salad with Red Cabbage, Feta, and Dill

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1 ¼ cup whole rye berries (wheat, emmer, spelt, or barley can be used)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• Half of a medium-small 2-pound red cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 small bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
• Half a bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
• About 12 cherry tomatoes, sliced into quarters
• 4 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
• 1 quarter of a small red onion, finely minced (about 2 Tbsp minced)
• 1 Tbsp capers (optional)
• Sprigs of dill flowers, for garnish (optional)

For the Dressing:

• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. 1
   Place the rye berries in a bowl filled with 4 cups of water and 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Allow them to soak in this mixture for 12 to 24 hours. You can skip the soaking if you’re in a hurry, but it’s a good thing to do because it will make the rye’s nutrients more available for your body to absorb. Once the grains have soaked, drain the water and place the berries in a pot filled with 5 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to low so the grains can simmer for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until they are tender. You should taste them every now and then. Some people like them a little chewier (more ‘al dente’) and some people like them softer. You can remove them from heat and drain once you’re happy with the texture. Set the drained berries aside to cool.
2. 2
   Once the berries are cooled, place them in a large salad bowl and add the finely chopped red cabbage, finely chopped fresh dill, chopped parsley, quartered cherry tomatoes, cubed feta cheese, minced red onion, and capers.
3. 3
   To prepare the dressing, place all the ingredients in a lidded jar, shake well and pour half the dressing over the salad. Toss well and taste. If you wish, add more dressing. The rye berries can absorb a lot of the flavor from the dressing so be generous with it. Serve with fresh sprigs of dill flowers if you have some. This salad makes great leftovers the next day!