Wheatberry Soup

Find wheat berries in health food stores or gourmet groceries. this recipe came from Diana Shaw's book Almost Vegetarian. time includes soaking beans.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  cup navy beans
• 1  cup  wheat berries
• 2  teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1  stalk celery, chopped without leaves
• 1  medium carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2  cloves  whole garlic, peeled
• 4  cups vegetable broth or 4  cups chicken broth
• 1  bouquet garni (containing 6 celery leaves and 1 tablespoon thyme)
• 1  bay leaf
• 2  teaspoons fresh lemon juice
•  salt
•  fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Place navy beans in large bowl and wheat berries in a separate bowl.
2. Bring 6 cups water to boil and pour half of water over beans and half over wheat berries.
3. Set both aside for two hours.
4. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
5. Add onion, leek, celery, carrot and garlic.
6. Stir until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
7. Drain the beans and add them to the vegetables.
8. Stir to coat.
9. Add broth, boquet garni and bay leaf.
10. Cover the saucepan, increase heat to medium high, and bring to a boil.
11. Lover the heat to medium low and simmer until the beans have cooked, about an hour.
12. Remove boquet garni and bay leaf, and transfer the soup to a food processor or blender.
13. Blend in short pulses to make a chunky soup rather than a puree.
14. Return the soup to the pan, Or use an immersion blender to process soup in pan.
15. Drain the wheat berries and add them to the saucepan Bring soup to a boil again over medium high heat, cover and lower heat to medium low.
16. Simmer until the wheat berries are tender, about 50 minutes.
17. Stir often to keep the wheat berries from sticking to the pot, Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.