When I received this recipe from the Anson Mills newsletter, I was keen on making it right away. I love farro and enjoy how it adds a toothsome texture and nutty flavor to dishes. Here it is paired with mildly peppery upland cress, avocados, and slightly sweet and salty pistachios. It’s a stellar salad that definitely deserves a regular place on your home menu.
I used upland cress found at Whole Foods for the greens. You can substitute the cress with pea shoots or any tender spring greens available to you.
This salad has an all-star cast. Crispy celery and pistachios, nutty, toothsome farro, velvety avocados and sharp, peppery upland cress makes this a most satisfying meal. Grilled sourdough bread makes this meal particularly special.
Farro & Avocado Salad with Pistachios
4
servingsRecipe adapted from Anson Mills
Ingredients
- Vinaigrette
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I used Diamond Crystal)
few grinds of pepper
3 tablespoons mildly fruity extra virgin olive oil
- Salad
1/2 cup shelled, roasted and salted pistachios, chopped
2 slender celery ribs, trimmed, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and cut into large cubes
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 tablespoons finely minced sweet onion
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked farro (see notes below)
2 containers GoGreen organic living upland cress, trimmed and washed or 3 ounces pea shoots or other fresh tender spring greens
thinly sliced radish for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Combine lemon zest, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil and set aside.
- Fill a medium bowl with water and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Microwave until water just reaches a boil, stir to dissolve salt. Add sliced celery to the water for 10 seconds. Drain celery and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well on a paper towel.
- Place avocado cubes in a medium bowl along with the minced onions. Toss with 1-2 teaspoons lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss upland cress or other tender greens with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette. Place the greens around the rim of a serving platter. Using the same bowl, gently mix farro with about 2 teaspoons of the vinaigrette. Spoon farro in the middle of the dish, spreading it out evenly towards the greens. Top with avocado cubes. Sprinkle the celery around the outer edge of the farro. Sprinkle pistachios over the cubed avocado. Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the celery and avocado cubes. Season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and serve. You may divide the ingredients using four individual plates if you prefer.
Notes
- Cooking Farro: Follow cooking instructions noted on the package. Cooking time will vary depending upon the type of farro you purchase (pearled, semi-pearled, whole). Farro can be cooked a few days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze cooked farro for up to 3 months.