a very verdant salad
This salad started out as (like a surprising amount of my recipes do) a way to clean out the produce I had in my fridge. It was a great way to use and celebrate the late spring/early summer veg and after a few tweaks I adjusted proportions and flavors and got a very yummy and very green salad! I love this time of year when everything feels so abundantly green and fresh. It feels like a new start, a new beginning, a time of growth, expansion, and a time to do all the things. This salad reflects just that – lots of seasonal, delicious, green veg coming together with nutty, hearty farro, tangy goat cheese, fresh greens, and a balanced, flavor-packed chive vinaigrette to pull it all together (HOT TIP: I use the chive dressing on EVERYTHING so feel free to tuck this one away for other dishes). There’s a lot going on, but it also feels light and there are so many possibilities with this salad. I’ve had it as a main with salmon, tofu, chicken, chickpeas, the list goes on. It works well eaten as-is but I really love it as a side dish at a potluck or party with friends. It’s a great complement to so many other dishes and it adds a lovely green pop to any table (or picnic blanket or whatever you’re eating on). Cheers to more meals outside, longer days, and abundant produce.
a very verdant salad
ingredients
chive vinaigrette
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey (or maple syrup)
Juice from 1 lemon
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
½ cup olive oil
salad
2 cups cooked farro,* divided
Olive oil
1 bunch broccolini, chopped into about 2-inch pieces
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into about 2-inch pieces
Salt
Black pepper
3 oz goat cheese (feta or ricotta salata also work well here), crumbled
6-8 cups loosely packed salad greens
Some of your favorite fresh herbs like parsley, chives, basil, garlic chives, lemon balm, etc., loosely chopped and combined
flakey sea salt (optional, for topping)
instructions
First, heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Next, make the chive dressing (starting with this allows the flavors to meld and intensify while we are cooking the rest of the dish).
To a blender add the chives, mustard, honey, lemon juice, ½ tsp salt, and fresh cracked black pepper to taste. Blend until combined.
Next, while the blender is running slowly pour the olive oil into the blender (this makes sure that the dressing emulsifies (blends together) and the oil doesn’t separate from the other ingredients).
Once the oil is fully incorporated, turn off the blender, and taste. Usually here I might add a pinch more salt, more honey if it’s too acidic, more lemon juice if it needs more brightness, and more Dijon if I want a little more spiciness/heft.
Set the vinaigrette aside.
To start the salad, prep a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
To the baking sheet, add the broccolini, asparagus, 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and fresh cracked black pepper to taste. Stir until the veg is well coated in the oil and everything is evenly distributed. If things look too crowded feel free to spread out on a second baking sheet.
Roast the veg in the 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, but begin checking after 15 minutes for doneness and a nice char.
Once the veg are fully cooked, remove from the oven.
Next, in a large bowl add your greens, 1 ½ cups of farro, and 3 tbsp of the chive vinaigrette. Stir to combine and make sure the farro is evenly distributed.
Now, to assemble! To your favorite platter (a salad bowl works here too but I like a flatter dish here for better distribution of the ingredients), add the greens and farro. On top, add the roasted broccolini and asparagus, goat cheese, chopped herbs, and remaining ½ cup of farro.
Drizzle another 2 tbsp of the chive vinaigrette over everything and I always love to add a pinch or two of flakey sea salt.
Serve! Great topped with a protein of your choice or as a side dish.
*I usually cook one cup of farro which yields about 3 cups cooked so I have some leftover to use later.
