Farro, Kale & Smoked Mozzarella Salad

Last Year's Post: Easy and Elegant Summer Salad with Cheese, Fruit and Nuts

I was having a bad day a few weeks ago and stopped at the deli counter of my local grocer to pick up dinner (yes, even food bloggers do it).  They had a new farro salad that looked interesting so I tried it and really liked it - so much that I emailed them (ever so politely) and asked for the recipe.  They replied (ever so politely) that unfortunately they could not supply the recipe "because it was not scaled for consumer use".  Right.  Guess what - send me the big version and together with my calculator we can figure out the consumer version.  Actually, I didn't send them that reply (although I wanted to) because I knew it was pointless.  Grrrr.  Now aggravated, I decided to come up with my own version.  That would show them!  I printed out 4 or 5 different farro salad ideas before creating this one.  I like the mix of ingredients but of course you can always substitute your favorites.

The three most important ingredients are farro, kale and smoked mozzarella (you probably figured that out from the title, right?). Farro and kale may be new to you. Farro (fahr-oh) has become very popular lately in the United States, but it's an ancient grain believed to have once been consumed by the Roman legions and eaten in Italy ever since. Farro is not wheat, but a plant and grain all its own. A grain of farro looks and tastes somewhat like a lighter brown rice with a chewy (not soft) texture. It has a complex, nutty taste with undertones of oats and barley. Due to its chewy texture, farro is quite filling.  You can find farro in some upscale grocery stores or in natural food stores.  If you don't feel like trying farro, you could always substitute brown rice or barley.

cooked farro

Kale is a leafy green with more vitamins and antioxidants than even spinach, which explains why it's become so popular.  When raw, it's a tough and bitter green but when blanched for a brief period it becomes softer and the bitterness disappears. You strip the leaves off the tough stems, chop them up, boil the leaves for about a minute, then drain. The bright green color is attractive in salads and the health benefits are great.  If you don't want to try kale, substitute raw baby spinach instead.

In addition to farro and kale, the salad contains cherry tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, herbs and smoked mozzarella.

I found these cute little multi-colored cherry tomatoes at Trader Joe's

It's a healthy summer alternative to heavier foods and an opportunity to try new ingredients.  Of course you could serve it as a side salad to grilled meats and it also makes a great salad for a potluck picnic because it doesn't wilt, but we like to eat it on its own - there's plenty of fiber and protein to keep you satisfied.  It also makes a great lunch for work the next day.

printable recipe

Farro, Kale & Smoked Mozzarella Salad

Serves 6 to 8

Note:  to seed a cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise and use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds down its length.

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon minced shallots

Salt and pepper

For the salad:

12 oz farro, rinsed

½ head kale, leaves stripped off steams and chopped into bite-sized pieces

6 oz smoked mozzarella, cubed

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

6 green onions, finely chopped

½ cucumber (or 1/3 English cucumber), unpeeled, seeded and chopped

½ cup chopped chives

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

 Place the red wine vinegar in a small bowl.  Gradually whisk in oil.  Add the shallots and salt and pepper, then set aside.

Place the farro in a large pot and cover with water by about 3 inches.  Set over high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the farro is tender, 15-18 minutes.  Drain, rinse, and drain again.  Set aside to cool.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the kale pieces and boil 60-90 seconds until bright green.  Drain and immediately place the kale pieces in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.  Drain thoroughly and pat dry.

Put the farro in a large bowl; add the kale, mozzarella, green onions, and cucumber and toss.  Add the dressing and toss again.  Just before serving, add the chives and fresh basil.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Serve room temperature or cold.

  

Summer Pasta Salad with Fresh Tuna

I've been posting quite a few salad recipes lately but I can't help it.  I love salads and they're so perfect for summer.  This version has pasta and grilled fresh tuna together with a lot of veggies so it's very healthy and very easy.  If you don't like grilled tuna you could always substitute a high-quality canned tuna or even grilled chicken and it would be equally good.  I just like to have fish on the menu at least once or twice a week because it's good for you and it gives variety to your diet.

Growing up in the Midwest we typically cooked all meats until they were shoe leather so we wouldn't get trichinosis or salmonella or whatever.  I had a revelation about tuna when I was attending a sales meeting on east coast at a seafood restaurant and was planning to order the tuna.  The guy sitting across from me lived in Maine and was an avid sport fisherman.  He looked at me and said "please don't order it medium-well or well done".  Really?  He explained that high quality tuna should be eaten raw, rare or medium-rare for the best flavor and texture.  I wasn't too sure about rare so I ordered medium-rare and was pleasantly surprised.  Since then I've progressed to rare on occasion but I'm still not a sushi person.  I've tried it several times but the texture gets me every time - it's just too mushy.  Don't get me wrong, I really want to like sushi.  I feel like any foodie worth their salt should like sushi.  I see little kids eating sushi in restaurants all the time, but the best I can manage is a California roll.  Embarrassing but true.  Anyway, buy the best quality tuna you can find - preferably fresh - and don't overcook it.

sashimi grade fresh yellowfin tuna

You could make this salad at any time of the year if you just substitute frozen corn for fresh - the rest of the ingredients are available year-round.  I used whole-wheat penne to boost the fiber a little more.  The salad can be served warm, room temperature or cold.

* * click here for a printable recipe * *

Summer Pasta Salad with Fresh Tuna
Serves 4

8 oz penne (regular or whole wheat)
1 lb fresh tuna steak, about ¾” thick
¼ cup olive oil
1 ear of fresh corn, husk and silk removed
1 jar (6-7 oz) roasted red peppers, chopped
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
1/3 cup pitted black olives, coarsely chopped
¼ cup roughly chopped parsley
2 lemons
2 tablespoons snipped chives
Salt and pepper


Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in the corn. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and let simmer for 8 minutes. Remove the corn from the pot and immediately submerge in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. After a minute or two, remove the corn from the water, pat dry, and cut the kernels from the cob.

In the same pot of boiling water, cook the penne until al dente. When the pasta is done drain it, rinse under cool water, and drain again.

In a large bowl combine the olive oil, peppers, red pepper flakes, corn, zucchini, olives, and parsley. Add the juice of one of the lemons. Mix again and add salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat a grill to highest heat. Grill the tuna for 1-2 minutes per side until it has nice grill marks but is still rare to medium-rare in the middle. Let rest for a few minutes, then cut in thin slices.

Serve the tuna slices on top of the pasta salad and garnish with chives. Cut the remaining lemon into quarters and serve with the salads.

Special Brunch - Egg Strudel

Mother's Day is coming up!  Have you thought about plans for the mother or grandmother in your life?  For some people that means reservations at a nice restaurant.  If your family is like The Lawyer's, however, that's not very practical.  He has a extended family that includes four generations who are all very close. Family celebrations are large and include everyone from his parents (who are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary this summer) to several itty-bittys just learning to walk. One of the family's major annual events is their Swedish sausage-making party shortly before Christmas. They work in teams to shove a gooey mass of potatoes, meat and milk into (ahem) "natural casings". I tend to watch from a safe distance and try not to think about the casings.

If you also have extended family gatherings (hopefully sans casings), think about this egg strudel recipe for a wonderful Mother's Day brunch.

 It's visually stunning and makes a lot of servings.  It can even be made in advance and simply baked before the party.  That's why a little orange juice is added to the eggs - the vitamin C helps preserve their color.  Everyone from Generation 1 to Generation 4 will like the ingredients:  potatoes, ham, eggs, cheese, and puff pastry. I would suggest serving it with asparagus in lemon sauce on your prettiest plates, accompanied by mimosas and coffee for the adults and juice for the kids. (On second thought, maybe you shouldn't use your prettiest plates if there are kids involved.  Save them for adult occasions - see below.)

Not only would this make a great Mother's Day brunch, it's ideal for weekend guests or anytime you want to have a special brunch.  It looks very fancy but actually it's really easy - the key is how you cut the puff pastry for braiding.  Just follow the visuals and you'll be fine.

* * click here for a printable recipe copy * *

Egg Strudel
Makes 2 strudels, 8 to 12 servings depending on how they are cut

1 box (two sheets) puff pastry dough (1.1 lb)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup frozen cubed hash brown potatoes
1 cup green or red bell pepper, seeded, diced
½ cup onion, diced
1 cup smoked ham or turkey, diced
11 eggs
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons shredded parmesan


Thaw puff pastry according to package directions.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and onion; sauté 3 minutes, then add ham or turkey.

Whisk 11 eggs and chives together. Add them to the pan and scramble just until set and still a bit soft. Season with salt and pepper and take off the heat. Stir in the cream cheese and orange juice until blended. Refrigerate eggs while working on the pastry.

Unfold a thawed pastry sheet on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Roll pastry to a 12” x 10” rectangle, then transfer to a piece of parchment cut to fit a baking sheet. Trim pastry by cutting off the top corners at an angle and notching the bottom corners (see picture below).

 
Spoon half the egg mixture down the center, then cut an equal number of strips on both sides at a 45 degree angle. 

 Fold the flaps up over the eggs at both ends, then braid the strips by alternately crossing them over the filling. 

 
Repeat with the other pastry sheet and remaining egg mixture. Transfer parchment and strudels to baking sheets.

Combine the remaining egg and water by whisking; brush over the tops of the strudels and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. (At this point, strudels may be covered in plastic and refrigerated overnight.) 

 Bake strudels for 20-30 minutes, or until golden. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing.
 

Rustic Egg Tart

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Believe it or not, Easter is only about two weeks away.  How did that happen?   If you have thoughts of a special Easter breakfast or brunch, consider this Rustic Egg Tart.  It's easy to make and spectacular on the plate.  With a fruit salad, some juice and coffee, you have a delicious and special brunch. Oh, and don't forget the Peeps.

Puff pastry is one of my favorite magic ingredients and forms the basis for these individual tarts.  The pastry is partially baked, then topped with two cheeses, egg and bacon and placed back in the oven until the egg white is set.  The tart has great crispness from the puff pastry and bacon.  I experimented with adding arugula to the tart before it was cooked (below) or after it was cooked (above) - it works both ways or leave it out entirely if you're not a fan.

Although the recipe serves four, it's easily doubled if you're having guests - just use two baking sheets and rotate them after half the time in the oven.

Even though this tart works really well as a special breakfast, it works equally well as a light lunch or dinner with a salad.  I could see enjoying one of these tarts at room temperature in the spring sitting outdoors with The Lawyer and a nice glass of bone-dry rose wine.   Yum.

* * click here for a printable recipe version * *

Rustic Egg Tart

Serves 4

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of a 17 to 18 oz package), thawed
2 strips bacon
1 ½ cups shredded havarti cheese
3 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
2 cups baby arugula (optional)
4 large eggs
Salt and pepper
Chopped fresh chives for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425d.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 12 inch square, then cut into four equal squares.  Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and prick all over with a fork.  Bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove and drain on paper towels, then crumble.

Let the tart shells cool slightly on the baking sheets.  If the centers are very puffy, prick with a fork to deflate.  Sprinkle evenly with havarti, parmesan and optional arugula (alternatively, arugula can be placed under or around the tarts when served).  Make a shallow well in the cheese in the center of each tart.  Crack one egg at a time into a small bowl, then use the bowl to gently transfer the egg to the center of the tart.  Season eggs with salt and pepper and top with bacon crumbles.  Return the tarts to the oven and bake until the egg whites are set, 10 to 15 minutes.  Top with chives.