Farro Salad with Spiced Chickpeas

Tahini dressing:
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne 
1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup farro

Spiced chickpeas:
1 15-ounce can chickpeas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Freshly ground pepper
Salt to taste

2 tomatoes
1 cucumber or zucchini
1 jalapeno (optional)

To make the dressing, combine dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Set the dressing aside until ready to use.  (Keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.)

Rinse the farro.  Place in a medium saucepan with 3 cups water, and a pinch of salt if desired, and bring to a low boil.  Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until tender.  Drain off any remaining water or cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until extra water has evaporated.

Rinse and drain the chickpeas.  Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the drained chickpeas.  Sprinkle with spices.  Stir the chickpeas to coat with the spices, then continue to saute for about 5 minutes, or until the outside of the chickpeas are slightly browned and blistered.  Season with salt to taste.  (Alternatively, roast in a 400 F oven for about 30 minutes.)

Chop the tomatoes and cucumber or zucchini.  Finely chop the jalapeno, if using.  Mix ingredients together, and drizzle with dressing.

Serves 4.

From BudgetBytes blog, with a few changes

Kale, Roasted Brussels Sprout, and Farro Salad

1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 small onion
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 to 5 cups vegetable stock
1 cup farro
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Balsamic reduction
2 to 4 ounces kale
Extra-virgin olive oil

Heat oven to 400° F.  

Trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts, and remove any yellow or brown outer leaves.  Cut large sprouts in half.  Cut onion into large dice.  Toss Brussels sprouts and onions in a bowl with 3 tablespoons olive oil and generous pinches of salt and pepper.  Spread vegetables in a baking dish and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, bring 4 cups vegetable stock to a boil.  Add farro and reduce heat slightly.  Stir in basil and oregano.  Partially cover; cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender.  Add vegetable stock as needed, so that some liquid remains with the farro when cooking is complete.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add balsamic concentrate.  

Chop kale roughly, or slice it into ribbons.  

Combine roasted Brussels sprouts and onions, cooked farro, and kale, in a bowl.  Stir in extra-virgin olive oil to taste.

Serves 2 to 4.

Recipe by me!

Mediterranean Farro Salad

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup water

Small red onion, finely diced (about 2/3 cup)

3 cups vegetable stock

1 cup uncooked farro, rinsed and drained

1 large cucumber, seeded and finely diced

2/3 cup finely diced roasted red peppers

1/2 cup finely diced sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup finely-chopped fresh parsley

For vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of garlic powder

Pinch of salt

Pinch of black pepper

Bring vinegar and water to simmer in a small saucepan.  Add onion, let cook in pan for 1 minute, then cover, remove from heat, and let stand for 15 minutes.

Stir together stock and farro in a medium saucepan.  Cover and bring to a low boil for 15 minutes, or until chewy.  Remove from heat, and drain off any extra stock once the farro is cooked.  Let farro cool for at least 10 minutes.

Transfer farro to a large mixing bowl, and add in remaining ingredients.  Drain pickled onions and add onions to bowl.  

Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients until combined.  Mix vinaigrette into salad.  Toss until combined.  Season to taste.

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Serves 6 to 8.

From Gimme Some Oven blog, with a few changes

Quinoa, Black Lentil, Mango, and Chicken (or Avocado) Salad with Korma Dressing

1 1/2 cups black lentils

1 1/2 cups cream-colored quinoa

1 just-ripe mango

1 cup watercress (or arugula) leaves, coarse stems removed

12 ounces roasted chicken, neatly sliced (or substitute 3 avocados, sliced)

1/4 cup torn mint leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lime

For the dressing:

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon curry paste

1/4 cup peanut or canola oil

Salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons cream

Put the lentils in a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook for 15-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender but not falling apart (the length of time it takes depends on the age of the lentils).  Meanwhile, toast the quinoa in a dry skillet for about 2 minutes, then put it into a separate saucepan, add boiling water, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Peel the mango and cut the side sections away from the central pit. Carefully cut the side sections into slices about the thickness of a nickel. (It is difficult to remove the flesh nearer the pit, so just use the side sections for this dish and use the remaining flesh for something else - or eat it!)

Make the dressing.  Whisk everything together except the cream, then whisk that in, too. Taste for seasoning.

Drain the lentils, quickly rinse them in hot water, then toss in a serving bowl with the drained quinoa, mango, watercress or arugula, chicken or avocado, mint, olive oil, lime juice, and seasoning (taste and adjust if you need to).  Drizzle on the creamy korma dressing just before serving.

Serves 4.

From A Change of Appetite by Diana Henry

Buttermilk Asparagus Salad

1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
2 tablespoons white wine or rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup cooked farro
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup sprouts 
2 to 3 small seedless cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Crush the garlic, and combine with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl.  Allow to stand and infuse during the following preparations.

Put 1/4 cup water, a splash of olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a skillet.  Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, then add the asparagus.  Cover and cook until the asparagus is just tender and bright in color, barely a minute.  Drain, then run under cold water.  

Remove garlic from oil and discard garlic.  Whisk oil together with vinegar, buttermilk, and salt.  

Just before ready to serve the salad, combine the asparagus, cooked farro, cilantro, sprouts, and cucumbers in a large bowl.  Coat generously with buttermilk dressing to taste, and toss well before serving.


Serves 2 to 4.

From 101 Cookbooks blog

Farro and Bean Stew

1 pound red beans, soaked for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, then drained, plus 10 cups water
or 1-2 cans red beans, rinsed and drained, plus 5 to 6 cups vegetable broth

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
2 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup pearled farro
1/2 head savoy, napa, or green cabbage, chopped

Parmesan and olive oil to serve

Cook the soaked beans in a large pot with 10 cups of water.  When the beans are cooked, remove a generous scoop of them from the pot, place in a bowl and mash them well.  Return mashed beans to the pot.  (If using canned beans, mash some and then mix mashed and whole beans with vegetable broth.)

In a separate pan, saute the onion in olive oil over medium-high heat.  When onion begins to color, add to the bean broth.  Stir in the tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, and farro.  Bring to a boil again, then turn the heat down to medium-low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the farro is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.  Be sure the vegetables are cooked through as well.  Stir in the cabbage and cook for a few minutes more, until soft.  Add more water or broth as needed, one cup at a time, to reach desired consistency.  Salt to taste, starting with 1 teaspoon.

Serve topped with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.


Serves 12.

From 101 Cookbooks blog

White Bean and Black Kale Minestra with Farro

1 cup navy, cannellini, or other white beans, soaked
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
A few sage leaves, a bay leaf, 4 parsley sprigs
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
3/4 cup farro, covered with cold water for at least 1 hour

2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup diced carrot
3/4 cup diced celery
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Splash of red or white wine or water
4 cups shredded black, Russian, or regular kale leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
One 15-ounce can organic diced tomatoes with juice

Extra virgin olive oil
Parmigiano-Reggiano for grating
1 cup bread crumbs browned in oil with minced rosemary (optional)

Drain and rinse the beans and put them in a pot with 10 cups water and the aromatics.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, for an hour.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and continue cooking until the beans are tender, another 30 minutes or so.  Pick out the garlic cloves and herbs.  Drain the beans and reserve the liquid.

Heat the oil in a wide soup pot.  Add the onion, carrot, celery, herbs, and garlic.  Cook over medium heat, giving the contents a stir every so often, until softened, aromatic, and golden, about 15 minutes.  Stir in the tomato paste and continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until there is a glaze on the bottom of the pan, then add the wine to deglaze the pan.  

Add the kale, the drained farro, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup water.  After a few minutes, when the kale has wilted, add the tomatoes and the beans and their liquid.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer slowly until the farro is plump and tender, about 25 minutes.

Taste for salt and serve with freshly ground pepper, a spoonful of good olive oil, a grating of cheese in each bowl - and bread crumbs if desired..

Makes 3 quarts.


From Vegetable Soups by Deborah Madison

Cream of Barley Soup

1/3 cup barley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large or 2 medium onions, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large leek (about 1/4 pound), white part only, diced and rinsed
1 large carrot, grated
1 large garlic clove, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup sour cream (can be reduced-fat)

1/3 cup barley
1 leek, white part only, halved, then slivered lengthwise into pieces about 3 inches long
2 tablespoon butter
6 shiitake or other favorite mushrooms, thinly sliced

Cover 1/3 cup barley with hot water and set it aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a soup pot over medium heat until foaming.  Add the onion and oregano, give a stir, and cook for 5 minutes.  Then add the leek, carrot, and garlic.  Cook for 10 minutes more, by which time a glaze will have formed on the bottom of the pan.  Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.

Drain the 1/3 cup barley and add it to the pot along with the 6 cups water.  Cook until the barley is soft, about 30 minutes, then puree the soup with the sour cream until smooth.  Return the soup to the pot, taste for salt, and season with pepper.  If it is too thick for your taste, add extra water or stock.

Rinse the remaining 1/3 cup barley, put it in a saucepan, and cover generously with water.  Add a little salt and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.  Drain and keep warm.  Simmer the leek in salted water until tender; after 5 minutes or so, drain, and toss in a little butter.  Melt the remaining butter in a small skillet, add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt, and saute over medium-high heat until golden, about 5 minutes.  If the pan looks really dry, as it can with shiitake mushrooms, and 1/2 cup water and cook until the liquid is absorbed  and the mushrooms have browned.

Serve the soup with a spoonful or two of the cooked barley in each bowl, the leeks and mushrooms piled on top, and a final twist of the peppermill.


From Vegetable Soups by Deborah Madison

Summer Barley, Tomato, and Basil Soup

1 cup barley
3 to 4 young leeks, cut into thin rounds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 basket cherry tomatoes
1 bunch tender Swiss chard, leaves only, chopped
8 cups chicken stock
Sea salt
A handful of fresh basil leaves

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add the barley and boil for 10 minutes.  Drain.

Saute the leeks in the olive oil in a soup pot until tender.  Add the whole cherry tomatoes, Swiss chard, barley, and the chicken stock.  Season with salt to taste.

Cook at a lively simmer for 10 minutes or until Swiss chard is tender.

Before serving, adjust salt and sprinkle with a generous amount of chopped basil.

Serves 4.


From La Bella Cucina by Viana La Place