Grain salads are always a good solution to cooking on hot summer days, since you can cook the grain in the early morning, leaving your kitchen cool for the rest of the day. I like experimenting with different rice and wheat varieties as the foundation for cooling summer salads, and I particularly like the toothsome, nutty quality of farro.
Farro is an ancient strain of wheat that looks like plump barley kernels. You can find farro in health food stores, online and now in many supermarkets. I prefer Bob’s Red Mill organic farro.
Make sure to select whole grain farro; pearlized farro has the hull removed and cooks in half the time. Some are quick-cooking, while this untreated whole wheat farro takes longer to cook. It’s best to check the package for specific cooking instructions. If you can’t use wheat because it has gluten, this salad is every bit as good made with rice….