Potatoes with wheat berry

This dish is a old staple of the Chilean cuisine, usually popular with the peasant and found in the country side. When I was little, my family used to take month long vacations on the central coast of Chile, always on the same little village we were welcome at the kitchen of the villagers and play with their kids. I ate this same dish cooked over a firepit and hated it... 

To replicated this dish, I called my mother and she share her recipe, it was a happy day at my table, the flavors mild and complex bring back so many memories. I long to go back to Lipimavida.

My husband, also from Chile, but a city-boy had never heard about this dish, but he also embrace the soul warming nature of it.

It can be a entree or a nice companion for a steak or pork. I ate mine with 2 eggs sunny side up.

Potatoes with wheat berry

4 portions

ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped into small cubes
• 2 cups winter squash cut into small cubes
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and red cubes (yukon gold)
• 1 cup milk
• water
• 2 cups cooked wheat berry
• sal and sweet paprika to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook the wheat berry as directed on the package. 
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat warm the oil and add 1/2 tablespoon of sweet paprika. Fry the onion for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the squash and potatoes and cover with the milk, season with salt and cook covered 15 minutes. Add water if started to dry out.
3. When the potatoes are "al dente", add the wheat berry and stir, cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a fork and mashed some potatoes and pumpkin to achieve a stew consistency.
4. Serve hot.