Farro is one of my favorite grains to cook with because it's so versatile and it doesn't feel as heavy as a pasta. I've been on a farro salad kick lately and this recipe, which combines a lot of my favorite things: Pasolivo Lemon olive oil, Trader Joe's 10 Minute Farro, broccolini, corn, and pine nuts, can pass as the perfect side dish or even as a vegetarian-friendly main dish. The lemon olive oil is key in making this dish extra awesome.
Overall, the salad is easy to make, you just have to prep a bunch of items separately. Feel free to replace the vegetables with anything seasonal you can find at the farmer's market.
Recipe
Ingredients:
1 package of the Trader Joe's 10 Minute Farro or use 8.8 ounces of farro
Olive oil
1 pound of broccolini or broccoli, grilled
2 ears of corn, grilled
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (I use a microplane)
4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/4 cup of Pasolivo Lemon Olive Oil (or any other lemon olive oil)
Salt to taste
Directions:
Boil the farro as instructed on the package. Drain in strainer and set aside. Toss the broccolini in olive oil until coated, season with salt, and grill until just cooked through. Don't grill too long or broccolini will get charred and too soft. Cut the grilled broccolini into 1-inch pieces and set aside. Grill the corn until it's just cooked through. Scrape kernels from the cob. I find it's easiest to stand the cob up in a bowl and scrape downward using a serrated knife.
In a large bowl, toss the farro, broccolini, corn, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, lemon olive oil and red wine vinegar. It's easiest to toss with a spatula. Season with salt, to taste. If the salad feels too "dry," add more lemon olive oil. If you prefer a "tangier" salad, add more vinegar. If it's not seasoned enough, add more salt. The key is to constantly taste and adjust.