We’re playing with spring kitchen staples today in the first of the Satisfying Spring Salad combos. Salads are what I’ve been craving most lately now that the weather is warmer and everything is turning green again.

I’ve been loving farro in these salads as a hearty and chewy contrast to the fresh greens and crunchy raw vegetables. And a shallot vinaigrette — while it takes slightly longer to finely chop a small shallot than it does to throw together a basic vinaigrette — is totally worth it flavor-wise.

You ready? Let’s do this.

Farro + Asparagus Salad

with Shallot Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Serves 2

Ingredients for Shallot Honey Mustard Dressing

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Salt & pepper

Ingredients for the salad

• ½ cup quick-cooking farro, preferably soaked overnight and drained
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled into ribbons
• 4-5 radicchio leaves thinly sliced
• 2 big handfuls of arugula
• 2 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• Toasted sunflower seeds or almond slivers

Optional add-ons: medium-boiled egg or toasted chickpeas

Method

1. Make salad dressing by whisking everything together in a small bowl or shaking together in a jar with a lid.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine farro in 1 ½ cups water. Cover with a lid partially ajar, and bring to a boil over a high heat. Once boiling, sprinkling with sea salt, reduce heat to medium-low and cook covered for about 10 minutes until the water is absorbed. Let stand covered for 5 minutes.

Note: if your farro isn’t quick-cooking this will take 20-30 minutes longer.

3. To cook the asparagus, heat a large skillet over a medium high heat. Warm a generous drizzle of oil oil in the skillet and add chopped asparagus, stirring to coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then cover with a lid. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until tender, bright green, and slightly charred in spots. Uncover, stir in chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute then remove from heat.

4. Assemble salad bowl by combining cooked farro, cooked asparagus, carrot ribbons, radicchio, arugula, and radish together in a mixing bowl and tossing with a couple of spoonfuls of dressing. Divide between bowls and top with toasted almonds or sunflower seeds and more dressing if desired.