Chioggia beets and farro salad

Remember those beet greens I mentioned awhile back? Well, the beet roots did not go to waste. I used these awesome looking chioggia beets in one of my favorite improv recipes of late: farro salad.

Farro is a grain. It kind of looks like barley, but I like the flavor and texture a lot more. It is also super easy to cook. Rinse it well (really well), then boil it in lots of water. When it's soft (~20 min), drain the water. Done.

I like to cook up some kind of vegetable (this time I roasted the beets--peel them, dice them small, toss with olive oil and salt, then pop em in the oven at 450, stirring occasionally until tender) then toss it in with a cup or so of farro and diced cucumber. Add olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and lots of your favorite herb. This time I used mint (mint and beets go awesome together), but dill is another of my favorites. Scallions are a nice addition as well.

Everyone loves farro salad (even 19-yr old tech geeks), and it keeps well in the fridge and transports easily. Give it a try and tell me what you think.