This salad is based on a Giada De Laurentiis recipe, though I switched up the veggies and added preserved lemons. If you've never had farro, it tastes to me like a cross between wild rice and barley. It looks rather like rice, but it has a chewier, denser texture. Farro is actually a species of wheat, and it is very popular in parts of Italy, especially Tuscany.

10 ounces farro (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
8 ounces green beans, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup pitted black olives
1 medium red pepper, cut into thin strips (about 4 ounces or 1 cup)
3 ounces Parmesan, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1 small bunch chives, snipped (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups of water with the farro. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the farro is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and simmer until the farro is tender, about 10 minutes longer. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and stir. Cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked green beans to a bowl of ice water and let cool for 2 minutes. Drain the green beans.
Once the farro has cooled add the green beans, olives, red pepper, Parmesan, and chives. Stir to combine. In a small bowl mix together the sherry vinegar, olive oil, mustard, pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Pour the sherry vinaigrette over the farro salad. Toss to combine and serve.
The changes I made:
For the veggies, I used raw grated carrots and defrosted peas, as this is what I had on hand. I did not use any cheese. When I made the dressing I used lemon juice instead of vinegar. I also added a couple diced preserved lemons-you can use the peel and all.
This was an easy, and yummy salad. If you are interested in trying farro, this may be a good recipe for you.
If you would like to make your own preserved lemons, here is a link to a recipe on epicurious.com.
Never had farro or preserved lemons, this sounds great.
ReplyDeleteI've never had farro. If I should ever see it at a deli, I will be making a purchase. This seems like a good dish for to take into work for lunch!
ReplyDeleteOh yum! I love farro. This is a great recipe!
ReplyDeletemangocheeks- Thanks! I hope you are able to find some farro; I think you'll like it!
ReplyDeletepinkstripes- Thank you!
ReplyDeletethis sounds absolutely amazing!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lauren!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mermaid!
ReplyDelete