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Mediterranean Farro Salad

This is a hearty meal in a bowl—like an antipasto with the added substance of the earthy grain.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    6 side-dish servings

Ingredients

10 ounces farro (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup pitted black olives
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips (about 4 ounces or 1 cup)
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups of water with the farro. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the farro is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and simmer until the farro is tender, about 10 minutes longer. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the green beans, then transfer to a bowl of ice water. Let the beans cool in the water for 2 minutes, then drain well.

    Step 3

    Once the farro has cooled, add the green beans, olives, bell pepper, Parmesan, and chives. Stir to combine.

    Step 4

    In a small bowl, mix together the sherry vinegar, olive oil, mustard, pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Pour the sherry vinaigrette over the farro salad. Toss to combine, and serve.

Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.
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