Roast Onion & Farro Salad

Roast Onion & Farro Salad

One of my favourite smells in the world is onions roasting or frying. They’re soo sweet and complex and just yummy. I’m sure the most compliments I’ve ever received for cooking has been when I’ve been cooking onions. This salad is a celebration of the humble onion. And if you’re not familiar with farro see the variations.

enough for 2
takes: 50 minutes
4 onions peeled & quartered lengthwise
150g (5oz) farro
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
handful feta, crumbled
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves picked

1. Preheat oven 180C (350F). Place onions on a baking tray and roast for 45-50 minutes or until tender and golden.

2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to the boil. Simmer farro until tender about 15 minutes for cracked farro but more like 30 minutes for whole grains. Drain and allow to steam and cool.

3. Combine vinegar with 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Season.

4. When the onion and farro are cooked toss both in the dressing with the parsley. Serve with feta crumbled over.

Variations

no farro – farro is an older variety of wheat that has a lovely chewy texture. If you can’t fine it any grain will do here. Brown rice is great or quinoa or freekah. You’ll need to adjust the cooking time.

gluten-free – use brown rice or quinoa instead of the farro.

vegan / dairy-free – replace feta with roasted nuts like pine nuts or almonds.

carnivore – toss some chicken thigh fillets or whole pork sausages in with the onions. Check the chicken after 30 minutes, if done remove and rest while the onions cook.

more substantial – serve with crusty bread and butter OR add more farro.

different greens – replace parsley with basil, coriander, mint, baby spinach or salad leaves.

short on time – replace onion with grilled red peppers or eggplant from the deli. Or use pickled onions. You could also slice onions and cook on the stove top instead of roasting. And replace farro with quinoa or rice (boil for 10 mins then drain).

paleo (grain, legume & dairy-free) – replace farro with sausages or chicken thighs.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

onion – will keep in the pantry for months. Best if in a dark corner in a brown paper bag.

farro / sherry vinegar – keep in the pantry.

feta – keeps for months unopened in its packet. Or can be frozen. Or you could make a marinated feta by putting it in a super clean jar from the dishwasher and covering with oil and then keeping it in the fridge. Sometimes I like to add flavourings like bay leaves, lemon zest and pepper corns or chilli.

flat leaf parsley – tends to be the most long lasting of the leafy herbs. Should keep for a few weeks in the fridge if wrapped in a plastic bag. For longer periods pop it in the freezer – it will wilt but will still be useable in this dish.