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Kamut Salad with Carrots and Pomegranate

Across the Middle East, cinnamon is used not only to highlight the flavor of sweets but also in savory dishes—as in this Moroccan-inspired carrot salad. I toss it here with slender Kamut berries, which contribute their distinct buttery chew. Vibrantly colorful and deliciously juicy, this salad steals the show on my holiday table. Try it also next to steak, grilled lamb, or a simple roast chicken. SERVES 4 TO 6

KAMUT

1 cup water

½ cup Kamut berries, soaked overnight and drained

SALAD, AND TO FINISH

2½ cups shredded carrots (about 3 medium)

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons golden raisins

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup toasted, chopped walnuts

¼ cup pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)

1 To prepare the Kamut, bring the water and the Kamut berries to a boil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the Kamut berries are tender but still slightly chewy, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the heat and, if you have time, let it sit, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid and transfer to a large serving bowl to cool.

2 Once the Kamut has cooled, make the salad. Add the carrots and golden raisins to the serving bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange and lemon juices, honey, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Gradually whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream.

3 To finish, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Taste and adjust for salt. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Toss again before serving; sprinkle with the walnuts and garnish with the pomegranate seeds.

TO GET A HEAD START: Make the Kamut berries, as in step 1, ahead. In a hurry on the day of a party? The salad (without the walnuts and pomegranate seeds) can be prepared 4 to 6 hours ahead. Chill, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

TO VARY IT: You can use about 1½ cups cooked farro, spelt, or hard or soft wheat berries if Kamut is hard to find (see cooking instructions).

HOW TO SEED A POMEGRANATE

Chefs will use different ways to get to the glistening and juicy-crisp seeds of a pomegranate, a gorgeous fruit with blood-red leathery skin, revered since antiquity. I use a method that has worked well for me over the years. Have a medium-size bowl ready. Rinse the pomegranate and cut it lengthwise into quarters with a sharp serrated knife. Using both hands and working over the bowl, gently pull apart each piece to release the seeds that are nestled between skin “chambers.” Remove any little skin pieces that might drop into the bowl. Be sure to wear an apron!

Bulgur with Butter-Roasted Almonds and Cinnamon

I remember digging a spoon into a plate of bulgur studded with roasted nuts and sweet spices in Turkey as a kid. Always someone with a sweet tooth, I thought this sumptuous dish with an everyday grain was as good as dessert. I have re-created this cinnamon-laced childhood dish, which can be done at the last minute—but only with butter (no substitutions possible!) It’s delicious with lamb chops, chicken, or spicy Italian sausages. See more on varieties of bulgur. SERVES 4

1¾ cups water

1 cup medium-coarse bulgur

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup toasted whole almonds, skin on

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 Pour the water into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the bulgur and salt, and return to a boil. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside to steam for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt.

2 While the bulgur steams, melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet or saucepan, preferably stainless steel. Cook, watching attentively, until the aroma of the