New York Times recipe: All hail farro, queen of the make-ahead salad

Of all the grains you can use for salads, farro is the absolute queen. It is elegant, chewy and inherently complex, and that’s before you add any seasonings. It’s also simple and quick to cook, needing about 20 minutes, and the nubby grains stay separate rather than clumping like barley or couscous.

There was a time when farro was seldom seen, a rarity found mostly in gourmet shops and specialty Italian markets, but now it can be found in supermarkets rubbing shoulders with the quinoa and bulgur, and not a bit less regal for it.

All of this means that you can stop reserving your farro salads for parties, and put them into regular rotation. Healthful, hearty and ripe for variation, the farro salad is ready for weeknight primetime.

In this simple recipe, a colourful jumble of sliced stone fruit and herbs makes for an especially jubilant presentation. You can use any stone fruit you have, pristine or not; all of those wilting, weeping, less-than-perfect specimens are magnanimously invited to join the bowl.

Actually, let’s face it, the softer and gushier the better, because that tangy fruit nectar gives the dressing a sweet-tart depth. To bring out the most juice, the fruit is briefly marinated in lemon juice, salt and a pinch of sugar, which you can do while the farro cooks.

Then dress the grains immediately after draining so the warm farro can absorb as much flavour as possible, and fold in the fruit along with a handful of herbs for freshness and zip. Once assembled, the salad can sit for hours with no ill effects, making it perfect for picnics, potlucks or lunch at your desk the next day.

There is one more element that I sometimes like to add to this salad, which raises it from a side dish to a light summer meal. In the centre of the farro, almost like an egg in a nest, I place a milky ball of burrata drizzled with more of the stone fruit juice, some good olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky salt. The burrata adds richness to the mix, and provides a mellow contrast to the lemony fruit. But in the end, a stately farro salad doesn’t really need that — or anything extra — to shine and to reign.

Recipe: Herby farro salad with stone fruit and burrata

By Melissa Clark

Grain salads always hold up well, so they’re perfect for picnics, potlucks and making ahead for lunch the next day. This one stars chewy farro, enhanced with red onion, rocket and slices of ripe stone fruit, whatever kind you have (red plums are especially pretty added to the mix). The tangy grains are then spooned around a ball of burrata, which adds a mild, creamy contrast. Serve this as a meatless main course or a hearty, colourful side dish.

Ingredients:

1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for the pot

½ cup farro

2½ cups thinly sliced stone fruit, such as nectarines, plums, apricots or peaches (about 450g whole fruit)

2 lemons, halved

Pinch of sugar

2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

1 cup chopped basil or mint, or a combination

1 cup rocket

1 (120-250g) ball burrata

Flaky salt, for topping

Red pepper flakes, for topping

Preparation:

Step 1 Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add the farro and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the farro is al dente.

Step 2 While the farro simmers, add the sliced fruit to a small bowl. Toss with the juice of 1 lemon, the pinch of sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Let sit for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes.

Step 3 Drain farro and add to a medium bowl. Immediately add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, the juice of ½ lemon and olive oil. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice and salt as needed.

Step 4 Using a slotted spoon or fork, transfer fruit to the bowl with the farro, reserving any juices for finishing. Add the red onion, herbs and rocket to the farro. Toss gently to combine. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice if needed.

Step 5 Place the burrata in the middle of a platter. Scoop the farro mixture around and drizzle the burrata with the reserved fruit juices. Drizzle the platter with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt and red-pepper flakes.

Serves 4

Total time: 40 minutes

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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