Farro Salad With Thinly Sliced Zucchini Pine Nuts And Lemon Zest Recipes

FARRO SALAD WITH THINLY SLICED ZUCCHINI, PINE NUTS, AND LEMON ZEST

Steps:

• Place farro in a large saucepan, and add enough cold water to cover by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat; add salt, and stir once. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until farro is al dente according to package instructions, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, and let cool.
• In a small bowl, combine shallot with lemon juice and salt; let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat oil over medium heat, and add pine nuts. Cook, stirring, until they are lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and add lemon zest.
• Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice zucchini crosswise as thinly as possible; place in a large bowl. Add farro, pine-nut mixture, and parsley; stir to combine. Stir in shallot mixture; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large serving bowl.
• Using a vegetable peeler, shave half the cheese over salad; toss to combine. Salad can be stored up 6 hours in refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap. Just before serving, shave remaining cheese on top.

LEMONY FARRO PASTA SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE AND MINT

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add farro and bay leaves and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add orzo to the pot and continue to simmer until farro and pasta are cooked through but still al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes longer.
• While farro is cooking, prepare the dressing: Finely grate zest from the lemons, and place zest in a large bowl. Squeeze juice from 1 1/2 lemons and add to zest along with salt, pepper and red-pepper flakes, whisking to combine. Gradually whisk in oil. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice from the other lemon half, or both, if needed.
• Drain farro-pasta mixture, discarding bay leaves. Add to bowl with dressing and toss well. Stir in apricots. Let farro and pasta cool, soaking up the dressing. This can be done up to 1 day in advance. Store in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before proceeding.
• In a small bowl, combine onions, celery, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and a large pinch of salt. Let sit while the pasta cools, at least 20 minutes.
• Just before serving, add onion mixture and almonds to the bowl with the farro and pasta and toss well. Gently fold in spinach, goat cheese, mint and parsley. Taste and add more lemon, red-pepper flakes or salt if needed.
• Drizzle with olive oil and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add green beans and snap peas, and cook for 1 minute. Fish out the beans with a spider, mesh strainer or slotted spoon. Rinse briefly in cool water, then blot on a kitchen towel and set aside.
• Add farro to the pot, and cook until al dente, 15 to 20 minutes, then drain and spread out on a baking sheet or platter to cool.
• As the farro cooks, make the vinaigrette: Put shallots in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, lemon juice and zest, and leave for 5 minutes, then whisk in olive oil.
• Season the farro lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle with half the vinaigrette, toss and mound.
• Slice the asparagus in very thin, lengthwise ribbons with a thin-bladed knife or mandolin and place in a medium-size bowl. Add cooked green beans, snap peas and thick slices of avocado. Salt lightly, add remaining vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.
• Arrange dressed vegetables over farro, garnish with basil leaves and serve.

SHAVED ZUCCHINI SALAD WITH PARMESAN PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Whisk oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and crushed red pepper in small bowl to blend. Set dressing aside.
• Using vegetable peeler or V-slicer and working from top to bottom of each zucchini, slice zucchini into ribbons (about 1/16 inch thick). Place ribbons in large bowl. Add basil and nuts, then dressing; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using vegetable peeler, shave strips from Parmesan wedge over salad.