Citrus Salad with Dried Plums

Sarah

5 years ago

Tis the season, citrus season. Lots of citrus fruits are in plentiful supply at the market and this salad with farro mixes it up with clementines, valencia oranges, lemon, dried plums and crunchy pistachios tossed in a sweet and spicy dressing. Just the smell of citrus makes me feel lighter and happier? Does it do that for you too? The darker days of winter make it the perfect time of year for this “pick me up” salad of sweet citrus aromatherapy.

Kristy

Ingredients:

1 cup farro (can substitute with wheat berry, kamut or even quinoa or millet for a gluten free option but cooking time will vary if another grain is used)
5 cups water (adjust accordingly if using another grain)
1 tsp salt, divided
1 valencia orange
1 lemon, juiced
4 tsp honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp coriander
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
4 clementine oranges, peeled, sectioned and halved
6 ounces dried plums (prunes), thinly sliced into strips
3-4 green onions, chopped (green and white parts)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup toasted pistachio nuts

Preparation:

Soak the farro in the water overnight or 8 hours before cooking. After soaking add 1/2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Cook on high 5 minutes stirring frequently. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 50-60 minutes until plump but chewy. Drain remaining liquid. Set aside to cool or refrigerate.
Zest the valencia orange and place the zest into a small bowl. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl with the zest. Add the lemon juice, honey, mustard, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, black pepper and remaining salt. Whisk in the olive oil until completely combined.
Add the clementines, plums, onions, and parsley to the farro. Stir in the dressing until everything is combined. Let sit 15 minutes or so for the dressing to be absorbed.
Add the pistachio nuts just before serving.

Yield:

Makes 6-8 servings

Notes:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. If using a smaller grain/seed like quinoa or millet you may not need all of the dressing. Start by adding half and adding more as needed.