Farro Salad with Kale, Radishes and Toasted Walnuts

I’m not one to eat something just because it has nutritional and health benefits – if it doesn’t taste good, I won’t eat it (unless someone comes up with a food GUARANTEED for instant weight loss or the fountain of youth, in which case all bets are off and I’ll try anything). Ancient grains are very popular these days and it makes sense – most are high in fiber, some have several grams of protein and they’re loaded with all types of vitamins and minerals. My personal favorite of the group is farro which is actually three different wheat varieties –  farro piccolo (einkorn), farro grande (spelt) and farro media (emmer), the most common type in Italy. Depending on how much of the bran is removed, which also reduces the amount of fiber, the farro comes pearled (perlato), semi pearled (semi-perlato) and whole grain (grano intero).  The whole grain type, which has the most fiber and nutrients, needs to be soaked overnight while the pearled variety has the least amount of  fiber but takes the shortest amount of time to cook. Since I’m a middle child, I prefer the semi pearled which takes 20-30 minutes to cook.

Cooked farro is incredibly versatile and you can add whatever suits your fancy. Served hot in the morning, it makes a hearty breakfast with any of the fruits, nuts and seeds you like in oatmeal. For lunch or dinner, you can add anything – vegetables, chicken, meat, fish, cheese, fresh herbs – the sky’s the limit on what you can toss with your farro but make sure to use a high quality extra virgin olive oil. The inspiration for this recipe came from what I found at the farmer’s market, but add, subtract or change anything to make it fit your preference.

Farmer’s markets make my heart beat faster – all that beautiful food just waiting to be taken home and eaten. And now that it’s the start of the season in the Northeast, it’s off to the races! Amongst the beautiful strawberries last week, which never actually made it home, the green leafy kale and bright red radishes stood out as they were so fresh, pure and waiting for me. At home I had a big bag of walnuts, which I love the crunch and taste of toasted, and had just bought a fresh wedge of parmigiano cheese, so both of those went in with the farro. So tell me, what’s in your farro?

Farro Salad with Kale, Radishes and Toasted Walnuts

 

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Author: Laney

Ingredients

• 1½ c./250 g. farro
• ½ c. walnut halves
• ½ c. olive oil
• ½ c. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 2 c./65 g. coarsely chopped Kale (stems removed)
• 1 c./50 g. Radishes very coarsely chopped– about 4 large
• ¼ c. shredded parmigiano cheese
• 

Instructions

1. Cook farro according to the package directions until tender but firm, not mushy. (For Semi pearled, add 1 ½ c. farro to salted boiling water, reduce heat, cook about 20 minutes, drain. Keep in mind the brands vary in cooking times.)
2. On a baking sheet, toast walnut halves at 375° for 8-10 minutes until slighter darker and coarsely chop.
3. While farro is cooking, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
4. Drain farro and place in large bowl. Add ½ of the olive oil/lemon juice dressing. Let cool for about 20 minutes.
5. Add chopped kale, radishes and more of the dressing to the farro and combine. Add the dressing a little at a time until you have the amount appropriate for your taste.
6. Salt and pepper amounts are merely a place to start. Add more to suit your taste.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in fridge for at least 1 hour.
8. Add walnuts and cheese before serving.

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