Summer Farro Salad Recipe
This is one of the simplest recipes you can make, and because it's so simple, the quality and flavor of the ingredients - especially the vinegar and olive oil - are critical. Select a good-flavored artisan vinegar and a tasty Tuscan or Sicilian olive oil, and you can't go wrong.
This salad is a twist on a classic Italian recipe, with added color as homage to summer. Add small cubes of feta cheese or tuna or white beans to give it a protein boost if you like.
It makes a wonderful side dish served hot or cold, or prepare it in advance and take it on your next picnic as a healthy and tasty alternative to potato salad. Also perfect as leftovers, as the flavors blend so nicely after it sits in the fridge overnight.
In fact, this recipe is so good the next day, I always make the full recipe no matter how many I am serving - just so I can have leftovers. These grains are hardy and do not break down like rice or other grains over the nightly service!
A bright and delicious salad using this ancient of grains - emmer or spelt.
Directions: 1. Place emmer/farro in a cooking pot, cover with cold water, and add sea salt.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then turn heat down to low and let farro simmer for 40-50 minutes.
Taste test the bite of the grain to match your desire. If you like your farro chewy (like me), then 40 minutes should do. If you like it softer, then simmer an extra 5-10 minutes.
3. Drain farro and let cool while our finish preparing your veggies.
4. Dice tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, and place in a large mixing bowl
5. Mince the garlic
6. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the garlic over low heat in a small frying pan.
7. Warm the garlic and oil for 1-2 minutes. Long enough to bring out the garlic flavor, but don't to brown the garlic.
8. Move the oil and garlic to a small bowl and add the vinegar, salt and pepper. And whisk well.
9. Add cooled farro to the bowl with the vegetables
10. Pour oil and vinegar mixture over the Farro and Vegetables. Toss together and serve immediately, or place salad covered in the fridge over night and serve cold.
serves 10-12