This is a gloriously fresh mouthful of zing and goodness from a bountiful Winter/Spring crop. Our Kale and Broccoli are abundant at the moment and I am starting to look for more creative ways to enjoy them with our meals each night. I love that the broccoli plant just keeps on giving. After the main florets have been collected it continues to produce an amazing number of little side shoots.

I would be very happy eating this dish as a meal on it’s own. It is full of flavor, has various textural elements. It feels like a satisfying meal.

Low in gluten and high in fiber, Farro is a a nutty flavored grain with a lovely texture. I love that the kids make much less mess on the kitchen floor with farro than they do with quinoa. I enjoy quinoa but have had to stop serving as a side dish for my own sanity!

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Warm Broccoli and Farro Salad

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Warm broccoli and farro salad. This is a gloriously fresh mouthful of zing and goodness from a bountiful Winter/Spring crop of kale and broccoli

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Servings: 4

Author: Kyrstie Barcak - A Fresh Legacy

Ingredients

• 1 cup farro cooked (according to packet instructions - or see notes)
• drizzle cooking oil of choice
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 anchovy fillets - chopped
• 250 grams fresh broccoli - cut into pieces
• 1/2 red capsicum - sliced into strips
• 1 lemon-zest and juice of
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts or almonds
• 3 sprigs fresh curly kale baked (optional)

Dressing

• 2 teaspoons sesame Oil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• pinch salt

Instructions

1. Set the farro to cook (see notes)
2. Set a pot of water to boil
3. Add the broccoli to the boiling water for 3 minutes, drain
4. Add the chopped garlic and anchovies to the oil drizzled in a pan
5. Add the partially cooked broccoli pieces and stir to coat
6. Add the lemon zest and capsicum strips and continue to stir often until they just begin to soften
7. Heat another pan to medium heat and add the pine nuts or almonds and cook until they start to color ( a few minutes) then remove and set aside
8. Add the broccoli mix to the top of the drained, cooked farro and then top with the pine nut or almonds and the baked kale
9. Combine the dressing ingredients and drizzle over to serve

Recipe Notes

Soaking the farro will make the cook time a little quicker but is not required.
Eg: 1 cup of farro added to 2 and 1/2 cups of water that is brought to a rapid boil will cook in approximately 15 minutes, as opposed to 30 minutes cooking time if it has not been soaked for 3-4 hours.
To bake kale - remove the stalk and place the pieces onto a baking tray in an oven of 140 degrees celcius for approximately 10 minutes until crisp but not browned.
I used Pureharvest Organic Sesame Oil in the dressing of this dish. I was astounded at the difference in flavor of this oil to other Sesame Oil that I have had. It has a very light flavor rather than the almost overpowering fragrance and flavor of non organic versions. If you are not using a high quality oil, reduce the quantity in the recipe or you may find it overpowering.

This is a recipe to keep in mind to enjoy your abundant broccoli harvest at this time of year.

What is your favorite way to cook broccoli? I would love to hear in the comments below.