Preparation / Directions:
* Pressed though a fine sieve to make 1 tsp.
Wash the wheat berries; cover with salted water and let soak 4 hrs.
Drain wheat berries; place in a deep saucepan, add the onion and plenty
of water to cover, and cook, partly covered, until tender, about 2 hours.
Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Discard the onion
quarters.
In a food processor, and working in batches, combine the cooked wheat
berries with 2 to 3 cups of the poultry stock and blend until smooth, or
push the mixture through the fine blade of a food mill. put into a deep
sauce pan and add as much of of the remaining three cups as needed to
make a smooth creamy soup. Up to this point the soup can be prepared
a day in advance.
About 30 minutes before serving, reheat the soup. Combine drained yogurt,
milk, egg, flour, olive oil and pinch of sugar in a second saucepan; whisk
until smooth. Set yogurt over low heat, and turn off heat under the soup.
Gradually stir 2 cups of the hot soup base into the yogurt in order to raise
its temperature. When the temperature of the yogurt is hotter than the
temperature of the soup -- test by touching -- pour the yogurt back into the
soup, stirring constantly over low heat, until it just comes to a boil, about 15
minutes. Correct the seasonings with salt. Transfer to a covered soup tureen.
In a small skillet, saute the almonds and pistachios in the butter until golden.
Remove the nuts from the skillet with a slotted spoon and sprinkle over the
soup. Stir the tomato paste into the butter that remains in the skillet and bring
to a sizzle, stirring. Add the ground pepper, sieved saffron and stir once. Then
add a tablespoon of stick to to keep the butter from over heating. Swirl the
mixture into the soup, stir once and serve.
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