Recipe: Warm Winter Salad
A delicious and nutritious meal that will have you re-thinking your no-salads-in-the-winter rule
This farro salad is chocked full of flavour and plenty of texture — it makes for a perfect dinner with delicious leftovers for lunch the next day. Nutrient-rich with lots of protein, this dish is best served warm and is definite proof that salads work well in winter, too. Packed with seeds, nuts, soft cheese and dried berries, it’s so satisfying, we think chef Shahir may have just turned a salad into a comfort food.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked farro
- 2 bunches broccoli (6-8 cups)
- 1 head treviso
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup toasted walnuts halves
- ½ cup dried blueberries or cranberries
- ½ cup ricotta salata or feta
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Pre-heat oven to 400 F.
Cook farro according to package instructions, set aside.
Wash broccoli and cut into florets about 2 inches in size. Trim the ends, peel the stems and slice into ½ cm rounds. Wash treviso and trim off the end, cut each spear into quarters lengthwise, set aside. On a large baking sheet, toss the broccoli in extra virgin olive oil, dried oregano, chili flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes and remove from oven. Slice garlic into thin ovals and add to broccoli along with treviso at the 15 minute mark. Toss so everything is coated in oil. Return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until vegetables are slightly charred and tender.
Add everything from your baking sheet to a large salad bowl or platter, making sure to scrape all of the oil into the dish. Add cooked and drained farro, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, dried blueberries and ricotta salata to the bowl or platter. Squeeze over lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss and enjoy!
Serve with grilled chicken or salmon if desired.