Farro Salad with Sizzled Garlic Dressing
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5.0
33 reviews
Excellent
Farro Salad with Sizzled Garlic Dressing
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Recipe video above. Farro is so much more interesting than pasta or rice! This salad has stellar flavour and texture: nutty farro, juicy burst cherry tomatoes, spinach bits and smeary goats cheese or feta, doused in an addictive hot garlic olive oil dressing with pops of coriander and cumin. You'll love how we cook the farro - it's delicious even more you add everything else. Serves 4 as a meal, 8 as a side. Excellent shelf life and brilliant for taking to gatherings - see notes.
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Ingredients
Farro:
- 1 cup farro , dried, whole (Note 1)
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar (Note 2)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
Burst tomatoes:
- 400g/ 14oz (4 cups) grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
Add-ins:
- 1 eschallot , halved then finely sliced (sub 1/4 red onion) (Note 3)
- 2 tightly packed cups baby spinach , roughly chopped (sub arugula/baby rocket)
- 80g/ 3oz goats cheese or 120g/4 oz Danish feta (Note 4)
Sizzling garlic cumin dressing:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp garlic , finely minced (~4 cloves)
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan).
- Roast tomatoes and toast farro - Toss tomatoes on a tray with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread farro on a separate tray. Put both in the oven, farro on the top shelf, tomatoes underneath. Bake for 8 minutes, shaking the trays halfway. The farro should be browned with a nutty flavour, the tomatoes should be a bit wrinkly but still holding their shape.
- Cool tomatoes on the tray while you prep everything else.
- Cook farro (Note 1) - Put the toasted farro in a saucepan with the vinegar, water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to medium so it is simmering. Cover with lid then simmer for 40 - 45 minutes or until all/most of the liquid is absorbed and the farro is ready. It should still have a bite to it (not soft like pasta) but not a hard centre. Add more water if needed, and keep cooking - don't be afraid to cook it softer if you want. Drain off excess liquid, if there is any, then transfer to a large bowl. (Taste: a bit tangy, the "vinegar" component used in salad dressings!)
- Pile eschallots on top. Let farro cool to room temp.
- Sizzling garlic cumin dressing - Heat oil in a small pan over medium low heat. Add coriander and cumin, cook for 30 seconds until light golden and you can smell it. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until light golden.
- Assembling - Immediately pour hot oil over eschallots so it semi-cooks it. Toss. Add spinach, toss. Add tomatoes, gently stir through (some tomato collapsing is encouraged). Pour 1/3 into a serving bowl, crumble over 1/3 goats cheese. Repeat twice more, finishing with goats cheese. Eat!
Notes
- Farro - Sold dried, find it in whole food stores, fresh produce stores and delis. I got mine from Harris Farms (I'm in Sydney, Australia), $7 for 500g / 1 lb (we use 210g / 7oz).
- Whole farro is what I use, chewiest and has the best nutty flavour. Standard in Australia. Farro also comes pearled (outer layer completely removed) and semi-pearled (partially removed) which are softer and cook faster. Pearled ~15 min, semi-pearled 30 min. Taste to check, drain excess water.
- Cooking tips - Simmer energetically else it will take ages to cook. Exact cook time and liquid absorption will depend on the age. Older = takes longer. Start checking at 35 minutes. Cooked farro is still quite firm, much firmer than pasta, but you don't want a hard centre. Just cook to your taste - add water and keep cooking until you like it - and when done drain excess liquid.
- Substitute with pearl barley, similar nutty flavour but is slightly softer. Takes 35 minutes, will have a little excess water to drain off. Best to spread out on tray to cool (gets a little softer than ideal if cooled in a bowl).
- Vinegar - Can use other types but make sure it's not as harsh as regular white vinegar. White wine, red wine, champagne and sherry vinegar will all work great. Balsamic will stain the farro.
- Eschalot (US: shallots) - The small onions, finer and sweeter than regular onions so they meld into the salad better. Substitute with 1/4 red onion very finely sliced.
- Goats Cheese - The creamiest of this type so it sort of smears through the salad and becomes part of the dressing. Danish feta is a close second. Greek feta can also be used, just crumble it all through.
- Storage / making ahead - Assembled salad great for 3 days in the fridge. Excellent one for taking places because farro doesn't wilt and fade like leafy greens. Make the hot dressing, cool, then put in a jar and keep in the fridge. If you promise to toss carefully, you can put the farro in a container with the eschallots, tomato and spinach on top. Then, douse with cooled dressing, toss gently (you promised to be extra careful!). Finish with goats cheese.
- Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
367cal
(18%)
Carbohydrates
46g
(15%)
Protein
10g
(20%)
Fat
16g
(25%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
9g
Cholesterol
9mg
(3%)
Sodium
822mg
(34%)
Potassium
488mg
(14%)
Fiber
10g
(40%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
1108IU
(22%)
Vitamin C
16mg
(18%)
Calcium
83mg
(8%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4- 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 367 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 367cal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 46g | 15% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 9mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 822mg | 34% |
| Potassium | 488mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 10g | 40% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 1108IU | 22% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 83mg | 8% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
33 reviews
Excellent
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