Lake Tahoe Autumn Salad

Sierra Nevada comfort

“And summer passed into a hot and fragrant autumn.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Each summer we vacation at the north shore of Lake Tahoe, staying at my husband’s family place at Northstar. Northstar is between the town of Truckee and the north shore of Lake Tahoe. This year we vacationed in early September, rather than in August. Most of the other vacationers had returned home. Tahoe was stunning in it’s beauty, serenely quiet. Autumn had found its way into the bright sunny days interspersed with days of Sierra Nevada thundershowers. A crispness was already in the air, especially at night. The trip was bittersweet for us, as it may be our last vacation at the family place. In anticipation of its sale, Mr. R spent time on repairs and logistics. The possibility of our last stay remained with us. We quietly savored each day, imprinting the memories of our favorite places. We lingered over breakfast and coffee, before spending an afternoon at the pool or venturing out for a day trip. It sounds quite overdone, and full of hype, but one must see Lake Tahoe on a sunny day to grasp the intensity of its color. I am drawn by Lake Tahoe’s irresistible pull to return again and yet again.

Essentials

There is an exceptional deli in the village at Northstar, called Earthly Delights. It has a wine bar, a small selection of groceries and a fabulous deli. During our stay we tried many of their deli offerings. One of the salads became my favorite. I was inspired to recreate it when I returned home. Wheat berries are the hearty foundation of this autumn salad, coupled with an appealing array of late summer’s sumptuous bounty: fresh corn, cherry tomatoes, baby arugula and homemade pesto. The wheat berries will take an hour to cook, then the salad goes together quickly. Toss the arugula in just prior to serving, otherwise it will wilt.

	Ingredients
3/4 C	uncooked wheat berries
1 1/2 C	fresh corn, 2-3 ears
1 T	butter
4 oz	mozzarella fresca ciliegine “cherry size”, or larger, cut into bite size pieces
1 C	cherry or pear tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 C	kalamata olives, sliced in half
1/2 C	pesto, homemade if available
3 oz	baby arugula, washed and spun dry
	salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare the wheat berries. In a saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil. When boiling add 1/2 t salt and the wheat berries. Return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour. The berries will puff up when cooked, becoming tender, yet still chewy. Drain and cool the berries.
2. Remove the corn kernels from the cobs. Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add corn and sauté briefly, just until the starch is released and the corn is cooked. Do not overcook, or the corn will be mushy in the salad. (Remove pan from burner to stop overcooking, if necessary.) After sautéing, salt and pepper to taste. Let cool.
3. Prepare the salad. In a bowl mix the cooled wheat berries and sautéed corn. Mix in the mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives. Fold in the pesto, coating all the ingredients. Adjust seasonings. Gently fold in arugula and serve.