Farro and Roasted Chick Pea Salad

I’m a salad lover year ‘round, but somehow even for me, warm weather is salad season for real.

So, here we are, it’s almost summer. It’s already hot as blazes where I am and I am in even more of a salad mood.

This one is so easy and you can make it ahead — don’t add the dressing until 15-20 minutes before serving time. Also — I love farro but you could substitute any whole grain or even couscous.

Remember this one for July 4th — you can tote it to a picnic — and even for Labor Day.

Happy summer!

Farro and Roasted Chick Pea Salad

• 1 can chick peas (15 ounces)

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, approximately

• Salt to taste

• 1 cup farro

• 2 cups water

• 3-4 scallions, chopped

• 1 avocado, peeled and diced

• 2-3 tablespoons wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• salt to taste

• Aleppo pepper, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drain the chick peas and place them on a baking sheet. Pour 2 teaspoons olive oil over them and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 20 minutes or until crispy and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool. While the vegetables are roasting, place the farro and water in a saucepan and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 25-30 or until the grain is tender, but still chewy. Let cool slightly and place in a mixing bowl. Add the chick peas, scallions and avocado and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss the ingredients. Pour in the wine vinegar, add the parsley, mint and cumin and toss the ingredients again. Season to taste with salt and Aleppo pepper. Stir in more olive oil and/or wine vinegar if you wish.

Makes 6-8 servings 

Salmon and Farro Salad

We’re big on main course salads in our family. They’re usually easy, unfussy and filling. I also like that I can make them in advance.

I’ve made  numerous versions of this particular salad: I love farro but have also used barley, couscous and wheatberries. I change up the cheese, depending on what I have, and use red onions or shallots if I need my scallions for something else.

Of course I have also made this all-veggie or no-meat, replacing the salmon (or any other cooked fish) with cooked eggs, carrots, peas and zucchini.

This is such a versatile dish! Best served at room temperature.

Salmon and Farro Salad

• 12 ounces fresh salmon*

• olive oil or vegetable oil

• 1 cup farro

• 2-1/2 cups water

• 1 ripe avocado, cut into bite size pieces

• 3/4 cup crumbled feta, goat or blue cheese

• 2-3 scallions, chopped

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat a grill, broiler or grill pan. Brush the salmon with a film of vegetable oil and grill, broil or pan-broil for about 4 minutes per side or until cooked to desired consistency. Remove the fish from to a cutting board, cut into chunks and set aside to cool slightly. While the salmon is cooking, place the farro in a saucepan and cover with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the grain is cooked but still slightly chewy. Drain any remaining liquid. Place the cooked farro into a mixing bowl. Add the fish, avocado, cheese, scallions, oregano and mint. Toss gently to distribute the ingredients evenly. In a small bowl mix the vegetable oil, lemon juice and white wine vinegar. Pour over the ingredients and toss. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

*you can use drained, canned salmon

 Makes 4 servings

Farro Salad with Carrots, Peas, Tomatoes and Dill

Farro is becoming trendy. So says this article, which I read recently.

Actually, farro has been pretty popular in my house for the last several years. It’s one of those whole grains, you know, the stuff everyone says is so healthy, full of fiber and nutrients and so on.

It’s popular with me because it tastes so good and because there are so many things you can do with it.

I first cooked farro because I was getting bored with white rice, brown rice, black rice, red rice and every other kind of rice. And with pasta, potatoes and egg noodles. And there’s been an overload of quinoa recently too.

But I wanted something filling and “starchy” as a side dish with dinner. 

There was this little bag of farro in the store. It looked intriguing. I decided to give it a try.

SUCCESS! Farro is sumptuous and tastes sort of nutty and toasty.

I’ve made it dozens of ways, treating it just like rice: steamed, poached, sauteed, in pilaf. Plain. With vegetables. As a salad, drizzled with vinaigrette.

Every recipe is terrific.

Some say farro is the same as spelt, but it is actually a different, if similar grain. It is also a lot like wheatberries and oat groats (so you can substitute those in recipes). Farro is sometimes called emmer wheat. 

Do try it. You can use it all summer in a salad and all through the year in other ways.

Here’s one recipe we love at our house. 

Farro Salad with Carrots, Peas, Tomatoes and Dill

1 cup farro

1-3/4 cup water or vegetable stock

2 carrots, chopped

1 cup thawed frozen green peas

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the farro and water in a saucepan and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the farro is tender, but still chewy. Set the farro aside to cool slightly. Cook the carrots in boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Drain and add to the farro. Add the peas and tomatoes and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. In a separate bowl or a jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, dill and lemon peel. Whisk the ingredients until well combine (or shake in a covered jar). Pour into the farro mixture and toss the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4-6 servings