Roasted Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Farro Salad with Feta

 

This recipe comes out of the fall issue of Fine Cooking (also the Thanksgiving edition which makes me very excited!!).  I used to hate broccoli until I discovered the wonder of roasting it thanks to Ina Garten.  I also recently discovered that I love roasted cauliflower in this recipe so I decided to add it to the broccoli.  I  love using farro because it is high in protein and fiber so if I have it for lunch, it actually keeps me full until dinner.  There are different varieties of semi-pearled and pearled farro that cook faster but whole farro is the healthiest.  I soaked my whole farro for about 25 minutes before cooking for another 25 and it was the perfect chewy consistency.  I have just made a few small alterations from the original recipe which can be found here.

Roasted Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Farro Salad with Feta

adapted from Fine Cooking

makes 4 servings

Kosher salt
3/4 cup farro (either pearled or whole-grain)
1 lb broccoli

1 lb cauliflower

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled feta
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar; more as needed

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 2 quarts of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the farro in the water until tender, 20 to 30 minutes for pearled and 45 to 60 minutes for whole grain. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, remove the broccoli crown from the stem and cut into bite sized florets. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the broccoli and cauliflower florets with 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Roast until tender and browned in spots ( I like them crispy), about 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, cauliflower, feta, scallions, red pepper flakes, and parsley to the farro. Sprinkle with the vinegar and 1 tsp. salt and toss. Drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and toss. Season to taste with more vinegar and salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.