The French-inspired combination of orange and tarragon enhances an easy wheat berry salad.

Wheat Berry Salad with Orange and Carrots
SERVES 4 to 6 VEG
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS In southern France, orange and tarragon is a classic pairing, and it’s easy to understand why: sweet-tart orange boosts and brightens tarragon’s grassy licorice notes, creating a remarkably vibrant flavor. This combination shone against a backdrop of mildly nutty wheat berries, especially after we added shredded carrots for crunch and orange zest for a deeper citrus flavor. A simple red wine vinaigrette finished off this fresh, crowd-pleasing salad with a sophisticated mix of flavors. Do not add more than 1½ teaspoons of salt when cooking the wheat berries; adding more will prevent the grains from softening. If using quick-cooking or presteamed wheat berries (read the ingredient list on the package to determine this), you will need to decrease the wheat berry cooking time in step 1.

1½ cups wheat berries
Salt and pepper
1 orange
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
⅛ teaspoon grated orange zest
1½ teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add wheat berries and 1½ teaspoons salt, return to boil, and cook until tender but still chewy, 60 to 70 minutes. Drain wheat berries, spread in rimmed baking sheet, and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.
2. Cut away peel and pith from orange. Quarter orange, then slice crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Whisk vinegar, mustard, shallot, garlic, orange zest, honey, and ¼ teaspoon salt together in large bowl until combined. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil. Add wheat berries, carrots, tarragon, and orange pieces and gently toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.