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Mediterranean Farro Salad with Toasted Walnut Vinaigrette - CaliZona

Recipe: 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2  Cups Dried Farro - 3 Cups Cooked
  • 6 Cups Filtered Water
  • 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/2 Cup Toasted Walnuts - or to taste
  • 2  Cup Purple Kale - chopped into small pieces
  • 1  Fennel Bulb - about 1 1/2 Cups - remove stalks and core - cut in half or quartered - thinly sliced
  • 2/3 Cup Pomegranate Seeds - or to taste
  • 1/2 Cup Red Cabbage - minced - or to taste
  • 1/2 Cup French Breakfast Radishes - thinly sliced - or to taste
  • 1/2 Cup Fennel Stalks - thinly sliced - or to taste
  • 1 Container Mini Fresh Mozzarella Balls - sliced and quartered
  • Parmesan Cheese - peels use peeler - to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons Sun-dried Tomatoes - minced - optional

Toasted Walnut Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 Cup Toasted Walnuts
  • 1/2 Cup Roasted Walnut Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Champagne Vinegar
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons  Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed
  • 1 Small Garlic Clove - minced
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons  Shallot - minced
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2  Teaspoon Sea Salt
  • Dash Pepper

Garnish

  • Fennel Fronds

Instructions

Farro

  1. In a medium saucepan, add the farro, water and salt.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until tender.  About 30 to 35 minutes.
  3. Drain and let cool completely.  It should be a little chewy but not hard or mushy.

Toasted Walnuts

  1. While farro is cooking, start toasting the walnuts for the vinaigrette and salad.

  2. Preheat oven to 375°F and spread the walnuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

  3. Roast walnuts until they start to brown and smell toasted about 7 to 10 minutes.  Make sure and check them frequently so they don’t burn.

Vinaigrette

  1. In a food processor, add the walnuts and grind to a fine crumble.  Add all the other ingredients and turn on until smooth.

Salad

  1. Prep all the vegetables and cheese.
  2. Set aside some fennel fronds for garnishing.
  3. In a large bowl, massage the kale with a drizzle of olive oil and then mix in the farro.  You can either spread the farro and kale onto a large plate or bowl and then sprinkle on all the vegetables and cheese or mix everything together in a large bowl.
  4. Serve the dressing on the side.  Garnish with fennel fronds.