This Cooking Light recipe is one that was love at first sight for me. As soon as I saw the photo of it in the June issue of the magazine I knew I had to make it, and once I read through the list of ingredients, I decided to whip it up for dinner that very day.
This is one of those dishes that if made on Sunday or Monday will feed you well as a side with dinner, or as a vegetarian lunch for the balance of the week. The salad has some heft to it, but is kept light by the crunch of the celery and sweetness of the fruit. The toothsome bite of the farro (or you could use wheat-berries if you prefer) is addictive and the lemony dressing brightens each flavor without getting in the way. I plan on sharing this one with my students at the next Cooking Matters class I teach, it'll be a perfect healthy recipe to add to my teaching repertoire.
SO good….and so good for you too!
Cheers – Steve
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked farro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 3/4 pound sweet cherries, pitted and halved (about 2 cups)
- 2/3 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
- 1/4 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- zest of one lemon (the original recipe doesn't call for this, but I never waste the zest when I juice a lemon)
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons EVOO
Instructions
- Bring 5 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add farro and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to boiling water; cook 15 minutes or until al dente. Drain; cool at room temperature 15 minutes. Combine farro, cherries, celery, walnuts, and parsley in a large bowl.
- Combine the lemon juice, zest, mustard, honey, pepper, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Pour dressing over farro and toss to coat. Check for seasoning and serve.