Shaved Asparagus, Broccolini and Farro Salad

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This spring salad pairs chewy farro with shaved raw asparagus, lightly cooked broccolini, watercress, almonds and Parmesan in a bright lemon vinaigrette. It is fresh, nutty and satisfying, with a nice contrast of tender grains and crisp vegetables.

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Prep Time:20

Cook Time:20

Total Time:40

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Californian

Keyword: Asparagus, Broccolini, Farro

Season: Spring

Servings: Servings

Calories: 398kcal

Author: Pascale Beale

Ingredients

¾ cup farro, well rinsed
¼ cup olive oil, extra virgin, plus more as needed
½ pound baby broccolini, sliced lengthwise
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ pound asparagus, thick stalks, tough stems trimmed, shaved with a vegetable peeler into thin strips
1 small bunch watercress, tough stems trimmed
¼ cup almonds, finely chopped
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved into thin slices

Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the farro and cook until al dente, and slightly chewy in texture, about 15–25 minutes. The best way to check for doneness is to taste! Drain the farro, fluff with a fork and let cool in a bowl or spread out on a rimmed sheet pan.
Pour a little olive oil into a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the broccolini, a pinch of salt and 4–5 grinds pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until just softened.
In a large salad bowl, whisk together ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, the lemon zest and juice, a good pinch of salt and 6–7 grinds fresh black pepper to form an emulsion. Place salad servers over the vinaigrette. Add the cooked farro, broccolini, shaved asparagus, watercress and almonds to the bowl, placing everything on top of the utensils. When ready to serve, remove the utensils and toss ingredients and vinaigrette well to combine. Top with the shaved parmesan. Serve warm.

Notes

A lovely heartier variation of this salad is to add a poached egg onto each person's salad. The egg is delicious when mixed in with the vegetables and farro.

Nutrition