This refreshing farro salad is my idea of the perfect side dish for summer. Lately I have been making farro salad along with chicken or shrimp salad on the weekends. When we come in from playing golf the last thing we want is a hot meal. The combination of cucumbers, tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, green onions, fresh dill and fresh mozzarella is truly addictive.
Whenever I taste cucumbers with vinegar, I am reminded of my grandmother. She had a farm in Kentucky, and at every dinner she always added a plate of cucumbers marinating in vinegar on her table...along side the salt and pepper. The taste combination brings back happy childhood memories.
Make sure you buy fresh mozzarella; it's more tender and softer than traditional mozzarella. I like Whole Foods' Italian Farro since the package is exactly 1 1/2 cups of dried farro, which is the exact amount you need (I did this on purpose), and it only takes 15 minutes to cook. The package says 10 minutes, but the farro is not tender enough in just 10 minutes; it needs 15 minutes. I have discovered that there are so many different cooking times for farro, so if you do not buy this brand then cook the farro according to the package directions. I also like hothouse cucumbers (also known as a seedless or English cucumber) more than traditional cucumbers because the seeds are smaller and you do not have to peel the hothouse variety; the peeling is thin.
Farro is a grain from ancient Rome that has a nutty flavor similar to barley or brown rice. Farro contains more fiber than rice or quinoa, it is also high in protein and supplies 10 different vitamins and minerals...it is a super grain.
The proper grain to water ratio is 1 to 3 for farro. The brand I buy only takes 15 minutes to cook. Some brands and recipes call for cooking farro 30 minutes and soaking it overnight. After much research, I have discovered there is a wide range of farros and cooking techniques. Once it is cooked you have to drain the excess water. The photo above is the farro after it has cooked. It seems odd to me to measure the water and then drain it, but when I cooked it like pasta and just threw an unmeasured amount of water the outcome was not successful.
Once the farro has cooked, you must drain the excess water. I drain it into a strainer and place the strainer on top of the pan to slowly drain and cool off a bit.
Once the farro has drained, put the farro in a bowl and add the dressing while it is warm. As this point you can let the farro cool on the counter (about 30 minutes) or you can speed up the process by placing it in the fridge to cool.
You will only need half of the hothouse cucumber. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then cut the 2 long halves again to make 4 long strips, then slice into thin triangles. If you buy a regular cucumber you need to peel it first.
You need a bunch of dill. I used this whole package for this recipe. When it is chopped its about 2-3 tablespoons worth.
Pick the dill off the heavy stems. Gather into a mound and chop finely.
Simply slice the tomatoes in half. I buy cherry tomatoes every week, wash them, and put in pretty bowl on my kitchen counter. We use them all week so many things, and munch on them with hummus.
I always like to peel off the outermost layer of green onion. Then wash your onion, cut off both ends and chop finely.
The fresh mozzarella can be cut into slices, then strips, then diced into small cubes.
The colors look so fresh and pretty to me. Summer in a bowl!
FARRO SALAD RECIPE
Serves: 6 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 cups raw farro
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (juice of one lemon)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup hothouse cucumber slices, 1/2 of a hothouse cucumber
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped finely
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/2 cup green onions (4 stalks) sliced thinly
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
PREPARATION
- Cook farro according to directions on package. If you purchased the brand in the above photo, then bring the water and farro to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium or medium low (you want it to simmer) cover, and set timer for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, drain the farro to get rid of any remaining water.
- Place in farro in a mixing bowl, and set aside to cool.
- Make your dressing in a small cereal bowl. Combine lemon juice, apple cider vinegar (shake the bottle first, all the healthy sediment is at the bottom of the jar) olive oil, garlic and salt. Stir or whisk to combine.
- Pour over the warm farro and stir to combine. Set aside to cool off, or place in the fridge to speed things up. It will take 30 minutes for it to cool on the counter.
- Wash the hothouse cucumber. If you are not using a hothouse cucumber, then you need to peel your cucumber. You will only use half the hothouse cucumber, so chop the cucumber in half. Then slice the cucumber down the center long ways. Then cut the 2 strips again lengthwise to make 4 strips. Thinly chop the long strips into thin triangles. Place in a medium bowl.
- Pick the dill sprigs off the stems of dill. Bunch together and finely chop. Add to the cucumber mixture.
- Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Add to the cucumber mixture.
- Peel off the outermost layer of each stem of the green onions, wash the onions, cut off both ends and then thinly slice. Add them to the cucumber mixture.
- Cut the mozzarella into slices. Then cut the slices into strips and finally into small cubes. Add to the cucumber mixture.
- After the farro has cooled ( about 30 minutes) you can add the cucumber mixture to the farro. You do not want to cook the cucumber or melt the cheese with warm farro. Taste for saltiness, and add additional salt if needed.
- Place in the fridge in a airtight container. It is actually better after a couple of hours once the flavors have melded together.
Note: This refreshing salad would be delicious served with grilled fish or chicken. It also would be great with chicken salad (you could take your lunch to work every day with the leftovers).