During my early days in New York working for Restaurant Daniel, dinnertime at home landed around two in the morning. The sad truth for pastry chefs working in restaurants is that they are always the last ones dismissed, since dessert is the last course. By the time I got home, the options were slim for 24-hour restaurants that delivered. And so, my go-to meal of choice was simple: a bowl of cereal. Cereal was convenient. There was no prep time, there were minimal dishes to be washed, and it strangely hit the spot.
This salad is my riff on kasha, the name given to toasted buckwheat groats cooked (in water or milk) throughout Russia and Ukraine. The word kasha basically translates as ‘porridge’ but although in the west we think of porridge as a breakfast food, kasha is commonly a comforting, hearty, savoury dish or side at lunch or dinner – often far less liquid and overcooked than oat porridge. By all means you can serve this salad hot, but I especially like it served at room temperature. The key really is toasting the buckwheat first – it brings out an extra nutty flavour and also stops it all from being too mushy.
My grandfather loved this slightly sweet porridge for breakfast but used one stick of cinnamon instead of the Chinese five spice because the five spice was too spicy for his delicate palate. If you don’t have dried cherries, I’m sorry. You can use raisins or dates instead. I like big, juicy California flame raisins and/or Medjool dates if you can get them. I sometimes gild the lily by sprinkling a handful of chopped almonds all over the top.
The recipe for Farro with Vinegar-Glazed Sweet Potato and Apples from the editors of Food & Wine’s book Potluck, brings together the flavors of autumn. Every element of this salad can be made ahead of time and pulled out when ready to eat. Farro or wheat berries are cooked with fennel, onion and garlic in stock until al dente. While the farro simmers, roast sweet potatoes and apples in the oven until tender and then toss them with a bit of sherry vinegar. When you’re ready to eat, mix the farro with dried cherries, cashews, a bit of parsley, and the roasted squash and apples. Serve with a shaving of pecorino cheese and commence!
Three kinds of chocolate—semisweet chocolate, white chocolate, and cocoa powder—ensure a serious chocolate flavor that’s balanced by the tart bite of dried cherries.