Recipes
Roasted Delicata, Tomato, and Caramelized Shallot Farro Salad

Small Plates

Roasted Delicata, Tomato, and Caramelized Shallot Farro Salad
This is a chewy, crunchy, creamy salad that is as beautiful as full peak leaf-peeping season. Filled with roasted and caramelized vegetables and tossed in red wine vinegar with dots of goat cheese and a sprinkling of fresh herbs, the taste and satisfaction of digging into it is so intense that you may just decide to serve it as the main course. We serve it alongside a golden roasted chicken and always try to make enough to ensure leftovers. This salad is fabulous hot, room temp, and cold straight from the refrigerator. A nice alternative to rice and a whole lot healthier, Farro is a savory ancient grain favored by Italians who have savored its earthy nuttiness and health benefits for centuries. Versatile and surprisingly easy to cook, adding this salad to weeknight and special meals ensures that the table is visually stunning and invites guests to sneak a bite even before dinner is served.
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cuisine American
difficulty Moderate
season Fall & Winter
serves 8

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups cooked farro
  • 2 pounds of shallots, roots, and papery skins removed, and cut into halves or quarters as needed
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 to 3 small delicata squash cut into 1/2" rings
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 2 pints grape tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Cook the farro according to package instructions, add the vinegar, and toss to evenly incorporate. Set aside to cool. When cool, toss the spinach into the salad and gently combine.
  3. Melt the butter in a skillet just large enough to hold the shallots in a single layer, add the shallots and sugar, tossing to coat them. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, turning the shallots from time to time, until the shallots start to brown evenly on all sides. Add 3 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper, and stir to combine. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 15 to 30 minutes until they are tender. Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool, and then add the shallots and any pan juices to the farro.
  4. Place the delicata rings on a half-sheet baking tray and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, and a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast on the bottom rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the squash caramelizes on both sides (toss halfway through cooking time to ensure caramelization on both sides). Remove from the oven and allow to cool until easy to handle.
  5. Place the tomatoes in a small oven-safe dish, toss with a bit of olive oil, and add a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on the top rack of the oven and cook until the tomatoes just begin to burst, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  6. Carefully pour the tomato juices and half of the tomatoes into the farro and stir to combine.
  7. Add the goat cheese crumbles and chopped parsley to the farro and toss to combine. Finish by adding the reserved tomatoes to the top of the salad.
  8. Serve hot or at room temperature

Kitchen Notes

As we seek zero waste in the kitchen, we eat as much as possible of the vegetables. To that end, wash the squash seeds, toss with a tiny bit of oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast them along side the squash rings. Toss them right into the salad for another texture and flavor opportunity.
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