Grilled Romaine and Farro Salad with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Featuring Micro YYC’s Arugula Microgreens
By Ellen Sullivan
Salads get a bad rap. Too much lettuce not enough yum. This salad provides you with all that good yum. The arugula and radish gives you that spicy spice, the almonds and romaine - that crunchy crunch, the feta and preserved lemon - that salty umami hit, the dates - a hint of sweet, and the farro - that chewy protein filled goodness. This salad has it all! You can halve the vinaigrette recipe as it makes too much for this salad but I personally love having extra vinaigrette in the fridge so I’m not making a new one every other day.
Ingredients
Salad:
2 Romaine lettuce hearts, grilled then roughly chopped
1 c. Farro, cooked
1/3 c. Feta cheese, crumbled
6 Radishes, halved then sliced
1/4 c. Dry roasted almonds, roughly chopped
3 Dates, pitted and chopped
Micro YYC Arugula microgreens
Vinaigrette:
2 lemons (or 1/2 c.), juiced
1 preserved lemon or 2 wedges, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated with a microplane
1/3 c. Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste (the preserved lemons are quite salty so taste the vinaigrette before
adding more salt.)
Method
1. Cook the farro.* You will need a 1/2 cup of uncooked farro to make 1 cup cooked. I cook farro like I cook pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the farro, bring it to a soft boil. It will take about 30 minutes. Test the farro for doneness. It’s done when it’s soft but still chewy. Drain and set aside or place in fridge if making ahead.
2. Make the vinaigrette.** All ingredients can go right into a glass jar or a bowl. Juice the lemons, mince the preserved lemons, finely chop the shallot, mince or grate the garlic, add the extra virgin olive oil. Close the lid and shake. If using a bowl, whisk. Taste. If you want to add some salt, now is the time. Crack some pepper into that vinaigrette as well. Shake or whisk and taste again until you are satisfied.
3. Turn on your grill and let it heat up.
4. While your grill heats up prep your salad ingredients. Halve your radishes then slice them to make little half moon shapes. Roughly chop your almonds. Chop the dates and crumble the feta.
5. Cut your romaine lettuce hearts in half, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When your grill is ready (medium heat) place the romaine flat side down and leave for 3 minutes. Flip and let them them go for another 3 minutes. It’s ok for the leaves to get charred. We want that. It’s what makes it delicious! Remove from grill. Don’t forget to turn off your BBQ!!!
6. Cut off the ends of the romaine, discard, then roughly chop the lettuce.
7. Throw all your salad ingredients into a large bowl. Pour half the vinaigrette over your salad and toss!
8. Divvy it up between two bowls and top with a generous handful of Micro YYC’s Arugula microgreens.
9. Eat right away. Enjoy!
Notes:
* Cook the farro the day before or the morning of to make your salad prep fast and easy!
** You can make this vinaigrette the day before as well. It will last for about a week. This is a double recipe so you can use it for other salads or to dress roasted veg. Yum!