Farro with a Tennessee Twist
“My inspiration for this recipe was a soup my mom makes. My sister and I adore this soup,” says Evie. “So, I decided to make a version of the soup as a salad that would be easier to take to school in a lunchbox. I was also inspired by the local farmer's market here in Knoxville, TN. The farmer's market has food trucks, pastries, vegetables, meat, and more! I love the salad by itself, but it would also be tasty with my dad's grilled salmon.” - Evie Braude, Age 9, Tennessee
Makes 6 to 8 Servings
Ingredients:
For the Salad:
- 1 ½ cups farro
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 small bunch dinosaur kale or your favorite variety of kale, stems removed and leaves sliced into strips
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 5 green onions (scallions), white and light green parts only, chopped
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- ¾ ounce fresh mint, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 5 ounces shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese
For the Buttermilk Dressing:
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- To make the Salad: In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the farro, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the kale and cook for about 5 minutes, or until wilted. Add the celery, green onions, tomatoes, white beans, and mint and cook for about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
- To make the Buttermilk Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and mix well. Top with Parmesan cheese.
611 calories; 19g fat; 83g carbohydrates; 31g protein
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