Spelt Wheat, Pear, and Watercress Salad

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1 cup spelt whole-wheat berries
• 1 lemon, juiced, about 1/4 cup
• 2 firm, but ripe eating pears such as Anjou, Bartlett or Comice, cored
• 1/4 bulb fennel
• 2 bunches watercress, stems trimmed, (about 6 cups)
• 3 tablespoons extra-olive oil
• Freshly grated black pepper
• 2 to 3-ounce piece Gruyere or aged Gouda

Directions

Bring a generously salted medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the spelt and return to a boil, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the berries are tender but not mushy 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Put the lemon juice in medium bowl. Thinly slice both the pears, and fennel lengthwise, with a mandoline into the bowl. Toss with the lemon juice. Add the spelt berries, watercress, and olive oil and toss to dress evenly. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide salad among 4 plates and, using a vegetable peeler, shave the Gruyere or Gouda cheese over each plate. Serve.

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