Chewy farro, fresh herbs, cherries, and crunchy walnuts join forces to create a seasonal salad bursting with nutrition, flavor, and texture. Don’t toss the farro cooking water, it has a lovely flavor and is delicious as a soup or stew base.
1 cup farro, rinsed
½ teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 scallions, minced, about ¼ cup
3 stalks celery, sliced, about 1 cup
1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and cut in half
½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh mint or parsley
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese, optional
4 cups arugula, optional
Place farro in a large saucepan; add water to cover by 2 in. Add ½ teaspoon of sea salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 1 hour or until tender. Drain, reserving the flavorful cooking liquid for another use.
While farro is cooking whisk the vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and scallions together in a large bowl. Set aside.
Transfer the drained farro to the bowl with the dressing and toss. When farro is cool add the celery, cherries, walnuts, and mint, tossing to combine. Serve on a bed of arugula and sprinkled with goat cheese if desired. Catherine McConkie 2022, all rights reserved
Chef C’s Cooking Notes:
- Any sturdy grain such as whole barley, wheat berries, wild rice, brown rice, or quinoa are excellent substitutions for farro.
- Substitute walnuts with ½ cup of toasted almonds, pistachios, or pecans, or 1/3 cup toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
