Italian Farro and Fava or Soy Bean Salad
This dish can be prepared in 30 minutes when you multi-task. Get a pot of water on the stove while you run some hot water in a small bowl for the mushrooms. Once you have these two tasks underway, then you can work with your vegetables to complete the dish. Once everything is cooked, it is a quick assemble process and on to eating! Porcini mushrooms are only available dried in this country. They are pricey, but a little goes a long way, because the flavor is very intense. Save the soaking liquid in the freezer and use in place of stock in a sauce or soup.
Servings: 4
Calories: 191kcal
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried Porcini mushrooms
- 1 1/3 cup Italian Farro
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1 leek cleaned and sliced
- 1 fennel bulb sliced
- 1 rib celery sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 oz fava beans or soy beans about 2 1/2 cups
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 cups leaf lettuce or baby salad greens
- 1/4 cup cheese shavings from hard cheese - pecorino parmigiano, manchego
Instructions
- Soak dried mushrooms in about 2-3 cups hot water from the tap. Leave sit on the counter for 15 minutes or more...until mushrooms are rehydrated. Drain when ready to use in salad. Save liquid (minus sand at bottom) for another recipe like a soup. Chop mushrooms fine - mince like garlic - and set aside.
- Rinse the farro in a colander under running water until clear. Cook the farro in boiling salted water for about 20-30 minutes until farro is al dente. Farro will be soft, but crunchy. Once the farro is cooked, drain the farro and place in your salad bowl.
- While mushrooms are soaking and farro is cooking, prep vegetables. Coat skillet with olive oil and turn to medium heat. Add leek, fennel, celery, and cook until soft. Add drained mushrooms when they are ready, along with minced garlic and fava or soy beans and cook until heated through and beans are tender crisp. When done, add to the salad bowl.
- Assemble salad in bowl by combining farro, vegetable mixture, thyme leaves. Toss mixture and then add in salad greens or serve on a bed of lettuce. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with additional olive oil. Divide among plates and shave cheese over the top. Serve.
- ENJOY THIS RECIPE FROM FreshFoodinaFlash.com
Nutrition
Calories: 191kcal