Summer Veggie Stew with Wheat Berries

Summer Veggie Stew with Wheat Berries
Originally uploaded by Marni Molina

My first offering for Corn Week is a fantastic Summer Veggie Stew with Wheat Berries. Now, I know what you're thinking - stew in the summer time? Let me assure you that this stew, because of the summer veggies and the cool-down before eating, is sweet and refreshing. I based it on a recipe in Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, but I made several changes. Here's how I prepared it this afternoon:

Summer Veggie Stew with Wheat Berries

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus oil for drizzling
  
• 1 medium leek, including a little green, thinly sliced
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• Corn from 2 cobs (about 1 cup), cut from cobs
  
• 1 small zucchini, quartered length-wise and sliced
  
• 1/2 cup mirin or other white wine
  
• 2 cups cooked wheat berries
  
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Put the oil in a large saucepan with the lid over medium-high heat. When hot, add the leek and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the corn and zucchini and stir to coat with oil. Stir in the wine.
   
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook stirring once or twice, until the veggies are just starting to get tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Raise the heat a bit and stir in the wheat berries.
   
3. Cook, stirring frequently, until hot and bubbling, a minute or two. Stir in the tomatoes, season again with salt and pepper, cover, and turn off the heat. After about 5 minutes, add the herb and fluff the stew gently with a fork. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve at room temperature (up to an hour or so later), drizzled with a little more olive oil if you like.  The husband and I also decided it tastes great chilled, too.

Suggested musical accompaniment: Brain Stew by Green Day