Farro Apple Salad.
Need a simple, flavorful salad that can hold its own next to a heavy fall meal? Or maybe a classy, yet reliable salad to serve at a dinner party? This farro apple salad is what you’ve been looking for. The star ingredient here is an ancient grain called farro. We use farro in so many of our recipes, especially salads. It adds enough body and filling to a salad, even carnivorous men enjoy eating a salad with farro. The other thing that makes this salad great is the sweet and tangy dressing that goes with it. It’s a light vinaigrette packed with lots of all flavor that pairs well with sweet apples, nutty pecans, and tart pomegranates. This salad is always a favorite here in the gathr kitchen.
Serves: 6
Time: 15 minutes, plus cooling time
Ingredients:
1/2 cup farro
1/2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, plus 1 tablespoon for farro
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 honey crisp apple, cut into ½ inch chunks
½ cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
6 cups dark leafy greens, such as arugula, spinach, or a mix
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of salted water and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a boil. Add farro and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until al dente, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. The farro can be made 2 to 4 hours ahead of time.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. *Always taste dressing for seasoning adding more olive oil or vinegar if needed. Add the warm farro to the dressing and toss to coat. When ready to serve, add the apple, pecans, and greens to the farro mixture and toss to evenly coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
*To toast pecans, preheat the oven to 350° on Convection Mode. Spread nuts on a sheet pan in a single layer and toast for 5-8 minutes. Always use your taste and smell over a timer when toasting nuts. They should have a deep nutty flavor when they are done.