Farro Salad with Sizzled Garlic Dressing
A delicious and nutritious salad combining nutty farro, fresh vegetables, and a warm garlic dressing.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 cup farro, dried, whole Note 1
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar Note 2
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 400 g grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes (14oz)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 eschallot halved then finely sliced can substitute with 1/4 red onion (Note 3)
- 2 cups baby spinach roughly chopped (sub arugula/baby rocket)
- 80 g goats cheese or 120g/4oz Danish feta (Note 4)
Dressing Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp garlic finely minced (~4 cloves)
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Roast tomatoes and toast farro: Toss the tomatoes on a tray with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the farro on a separate tray. Place both trays in the oven, with the farro on the top shelf and tomatoes on the bottom. Bake for 8 minutes, shaking the trays halfway through.
- Let the tomatoes cool on the tray while you prepare everything else.
- Put the toasted farro in a saucepan with the vinegar, water, and salt. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce to medium and let it simmer for 40-45 minutes.
- Drain any excess liquid, then transfer the farro to a large bowl.
- Pile the eschallots on top of the farro, and let it cool to room temperature.
Cooking
- Heat oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add the coriander and cumin, and cook for 30 seconds until golden and fragrant.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until golden.
Assembly
- Immediately pour the hot oil over the eschallots to semi-cook them. Toss with the farro.
- Add the spinach and toss again.
- Finally, add the roasted tomatoes and gently stir them through. Pour one-third of the mixture into a serving bowl and crumble one-third of the goat cheese on top. Repeat two more times, finishing with goat cheese.
Notes
Serve warm or at room temperature. Refresh flavors with a splash of olive oil or vinegar before serving leftovers. Experiment with different vegetables or grains.