Warm Farro Salad with Butternut Squash and Hazelnuts
Combining whole-grain farro with chunks of butternut squash, crunchy hazelnuts and dried cranberries, this salad is not only beautiful, it’s also packed with nutrients. Serve alongside our Beef Tenderloin With Pinot Noir.
Ingredients:
- 7 cups (56 fl. oz./1.75 l) water
- 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups (9 oz./280 g) farro
- 1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz./75 g) hazelnuts
- 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cups (15 oz./470 g) diced peeled butternut squash
(1/2-inch/12-mm dice) (about 1 lb./500 g squash) - Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves
- 2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
- 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) dried cranberries
- 2 cups (4 oz./125 g) thinly sliced radicchio
Directions:
In a large saucepan over high heat, bring the water and the 2 tsp. salt to a boil. Add the farro, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain off and reserve the excess water.
Meanwhile, in a 5-quart (5-l) essential pan or sauté pan over medium heat, toast the hazelnuts until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Coarsely chop the nuts.
In the same pan over medium heat, melt the butter until foaming. Add the onion and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the vinegar and cranberries. Fold in the farro, hazelnuts and radicchio. Add more cooking water if needed. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen