Smoked Wheat Recipe

Cook wheat

Rinse the wheat berries (or farro) under cold water. In a medium saucepan combine 1.5 cups wheat, 3 cups water or broth and 1 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender but chewy (wheat berries 45–60 minutes; pearled farro 15–20 minutes). Check for liquid; if it evaporates before grains are tender, add a few tablespoons of hot water and continue cooking.

Drain any excess liquid and spread the cooked wheat on a sheet pan to cool slightly. While still warm, stir in 2 tbsp EVOO to separate grains and add shine. Set aside to cool to warm or room temperature (about 15–20 minutes).

Prepare mackerel

Flake the smoked mackerel into large bite-sized pieces, discarding any bones and skin if desired. Keep chilled until assembly.

Make yogurt dressing

In a bowl whisk together 1 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp honey. Whisk in 1 tbsp EVOO until smooth and slightly loose. Taste and adjust lemon, salt or honey as needed — the dressing should be bright and tangy to balance the smoky fish.

Reserve about 3 tbsp of the dressing for finishing drizzle; fold the remaining dressing gently into the warm cooked wheat until evenly coated. The warm grains will absorb flavor and help meld the salad.

Prepare vegetables: dice 1/2 cup seeded cucumber, slice 1/2 cup pickled radishes thinly, and chop 2 tbsp chives and 1 tbsp dill if using. Fold the cucumber, about two-thirds of the chives, and half the pickled radishes into the dressed wheat along with the flaked smoked mackerel, gently tossing to combine so pieces of fish remain in chunks.

Taste the mixture and add up to 1/4 tsp additional sea salt or more lemon if desired. If the salad feels dry, add the reserved 3 tbsp yogurt dressing a spoonful at a time until desired creaminess is reached.

Plate or spoon the smoked wheat mixture into bowls. Top each portion with the remaining pickled radish slices, the remaining chives, a sprinkle of lemon zest (1 tsp total), and the optional smoked paprika for color and mild warmth.

Drizzle 1 tbsp EVOO over the plated salad and scatter 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds or chopped walnuts for crunch. Add an extra flake or two of smoked mackerel on top for presentation.

Serve at room temperature or chilled. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; stir before serving and add a splash of water or additional yogurt if grains have dried out.