Farro with tomatoes, raw corn, mint, basil, and scallions

Farro is a family of ancient wheat that includes Einkorn, Emmer, and spelt. It was first farmed in modern Turkey and Syria and became one of the first cultivated crops, alongside rice. Today, these ancient varietals are gaining in popularity because of their different gluten contents and glycemic indexes.

I love farro for its nutty flavour and chewy texture. Here is a lovely, fresh, and light salad that works well in the summer. The sweetness of fresh corn complements the nuttiness of the grain, the tartness of cherry tomatoes, vinegar, and the herbs. Together, they come together beautifully for a healthy and delicious salad. This is a fun salad that will fill you up.

This book, Six Seasons, is one of my favourites for a variety of vegetarian recipes. The chef's twists on vegetables make me want to cook the entire book, and we will eventually get there. Each recipe has been fabulous, with an excellent combination of ingredients and the perfect recipes to highlight each vegetable; this is a cookbook I should be cooking from every day.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients: For the farro:

1/2 cup farro, rinsed

5 cups water

1 garlic clove, sliced

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt, to taste

1 bay leaf

For the croutons:

2 slices of bread, torn roughly

1 garlic clove, minced

Olive oil

Salt, to taste

For the salad:

Cooked farro, from above

1/2 cup croutons

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved horizontally

2 tablespoons mint, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons basil, roughly chopped

3 scallions, finely sliced

1 ear of corn, kernels cut off with a knife

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar + to taste

1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Start by making the farro.

Add the farro, water, garlic, olive oil, salt and bay leaf to a small pot and bring to a simmer. Scoop off any scumm. Simmer gently on low heat for 10-12 minutes until the farro is soft but not mushy. You want the farro to have a good bite and lovely texture. Drain and cool under running water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

To make the croutons:

Heat the oven to 375 ° F.

Toss the bread with garlic, olive oil and salt. Layer the bread on a lined baking sheet and roast for 3-5 minutes until the bread has toasted. Remove and set aside the bread to harden.

To assemble the salad:

Toss the cooled farro; if the farro is not cooled, it will make the herbs soggy, with all the salad ingredients, until well combined. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill and allow the flavours to come together.

Serve in a bowl topped with croutons added at the last minute so they do not get soggy.