Farro and Arugula Salad

In a typical response to the indulgence of the holidays, I spend much of January embarking on a healthy(ish) approach to eating; less meat, no frying, trying to avoid anything resembling a bake good. I forced myself back into our basement workout room for the first time in weeks. Months? Whose counting. I adopted a new bedtime regiment that includes flossing. [Pssst….I am bad at flossing. Don’t tell my dentist]. I flirted with the idea of dry January but failed spectacularly when I learned that my children were going to be home-schooled…again…for the 4th time. One can only expect so much of me!

Fortunately the healthyish approach brought about some delicious vegetarian meals, including this beauty from Ina Garden’s most recent cookbook. She credits the dish to Charlie Bird, a restaurant in NYC that always has a version of this salad on their menu. It satisfied all of the tangy, nutty, crunchy notes that I crave in a dish, leaving me deeply satisfied and forgetting that it is healthy. Ina to the rescue as always!

And here we are at February already. I’m not sure that I look any healthier but my gums have never been better.

Note: For those unfamiliar, Farro is a nutty, ancient whole grain that is paced with flavour and nutrients. It is now available in most grocery stores, although sometimes in the healthy/speciality section. Like most whole grains it will go rancid fairly quickly, so store it in the freezer unless you use it often (within 3 months). If you don’t have farro, feel free to substitute barley, wheat berries, quinoa, or even a whole grain rice.

Charlie Bird’s Farro Salad

From Barefoot Contessa, Cook Like a Pro
Serves 6, as a side

1 cup pearled farro (see note)
1 cup apple cider
2 bay leaves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup roasted, salted pistachios, roughly chopped
1 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
1 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved through the stem
1/3 cup thinly sliced radishes (2 or 3)
2 cups arugula
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Place the farro, apple cider, bay leaves, 2 tsp salt and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, until the farro is tender. (Note: if all the liquid is absorbed before the farro is tender than add a bit more water). Drain the farro and transfer to a large serving bowl. Discard the bay leaves.

Meanwhile, in a small measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, 1 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir the vinaigrette into the warm farro and set aside for at least 15 minutes to cool.

Before serving, stir in the pistachios, parsley, mint, tomatoes and radishes. Gently fold in the arugula and the Parmesan cheese so as not to break it up too much. Serve immediately.