Toasted Cracked Wheat, Steak & Greens

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Registered: 08-07-2007
Toasted Cracked Wheat, Steak & Greens
Thu, 01-10-2008 - 1:14pm

A Phase 2 meal from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Fast & Fresh: Toasted Cracked Wheat with Steak, Onions & Greens

Serves 4


I used the basic method for preparing cracked wheat in "Whole Grains, Every Day, Every Way," by Lorna Sass (Clarkson Potter, 2006), to create this recipe.



  • 1 tablespoon olive oil + more for searing the steak
  • 1 cup cracked wheat (see Note)
  • 1 1/4 cups boiling water
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
  • 1 1/2 pounds flank steak 
  • -- Freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 bunches Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves ripped into pieces

Instructions: In a heavy stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil briefly over medium heat. Add the cracked wheat and stir to coat the grains with oil, then cook, stirring occasionally, until it smells toasty and gets dry, about 3 minutes.


Remove the pan from the heat briefly, then carefully add the boiling water - step back because the mixture will boil up and splatter. Return to the heat, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and return to a boil. Cover and cook on low for 5-8 minutes, or until the grains have absorbed most of the water. If the grains are still very hard, add 1/4- 1/2 cup boiling water and cook an additional 2-4 minutes, until the grains are chewy but not crunchy. Remove from the heat, keep covered, and let rest until tender but still with a bit of bite, 10-15 minutes. Place in a serving bowl.


Meanwhile, season the steak well on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan over medium-high heat until very hot, then add enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is quite hot, add the steaks. Cook about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. If there's room around the steaks, add the onions to the pan about halfway through and brown, stirring often. Remove the steaks from the pan and tent with foil. Place the onions on top of the cooked cracked wheat.


Remove the skillet from the heat momentarily to cool. Add the garlic, then fill the pan with greens. Stir and cook over medium heat until wilted, then add more greens, seasoning lightly with salt as you go. When all the greens are added, cover and cook until the greens are fully cooked, 2-4 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.


Slice the steak and serve it over the wheat and onions with the greens.


Note: Cracked wheat is available in the bulk or grain section of health and specialty foods stores. Sometimes it is labeled whole bulgur wheat, but it's different than the regular bulgur wheat used in tabbouleh.


Per serving: 440 calories, 43 g protein, 29 g carbohydrate, 18 g fat (7 g saturated), 88 mg cholesterol, 711 mg sodium, 6 g fiber.

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