Summer Vegetable 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
• 1/4 pound green or wax beans, sliced into 1-inch pieces (1 scant cup)
• 1 small zucchini, pattypan, or summer squash, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup white wine, vegetable stock , or water
• 2 cups cooked wheat berries
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves

1. Put the oil in a large saucepan or deep skillet with a lid over medium-high heat.
2. When hot, add the leek and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the green beans and zucchini and stir to coat with the oil.
5. Stir in the wine.
6. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are just starting to get tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
7. Raise the heat a bit and stir in the wheat berries.
8. Cook, stirring frequently, until hot and bubbling, a minute or two.
9. Stir in the tomatoes, season again with salt and pepper, cover, and turn off the heat.
10. After about 5 minutes, add the herb and fluff the stew gently with a fork.
11. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
12. Serve right away or at room temperature (up to an hour or so later), drizzled with a little more olive oil if you like.
13. Quick Wheat Berry Stew with Fall Vegetables.
14. You can make this right through the winter: Instead of the leeks, green beans, and zucchini, use 1 medium yellow onion, a couple of medium turnips or carrots, chopped, and an acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped.
15. Increase the cooking time in Step 2 to 15 to 20 minutes.
16. Instead of the tomatoes, cut several cabbage or Swiss chard leaves into ribbons (enough to make a heaping cup) and stir them into the pot.
17. Cook for about 5 minutes more, then finish with a tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves (or a teaspoon dried) in place of the basil or parsley.
18. Quick Wheat Berry Stew with Citrus, Dried Fruit, and Nuts.
19. A nice change of pace: Instead of the leeks, green beans, and zucchini, use 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger, 3 or 4 small Valencia oranges or tangerines (peeled, thinly sliced crosswise, and seeded), and 1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries.
20. Instead of the tomatoes, stir 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots or dates into the pot.
21. Finish with 1/4 cup chopped almonds or pistachios in place of the basil or parsley.
22. Quick Wheat Berry Stew with Spring Vegetables.
23. A celebration: Instead of the leeks, green beans, and zucchini, use 2 or 3 scallions, snap or snow peas, and a handful of asparagus spears (sliced into 1-inch pieces).
24. Instead of the tomatoes, use 1/2 cup fresh peas.
25. Finish with fresh chopped fresh mint leaves in place of the basil or parsley.

extra virgin olive oil, green, salt, green, zucchini, white wine, cooked wheat berries, tomatoes, fresh basil

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/summer-vegetable-stew-with-wheat-berries (may not work)