Farro Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

1 cup farro, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white balsamic or cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cups fresh spinach or salad greens
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and roughly crushed
1/4 cup dried figs, chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries or cherries, chopped
1/4 cup diced red onions
1 firm pear or apple, diced

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, add the farro, salt and water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occassionally, until the farro is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Check a few times while it is cooking, you want it to be al dente. Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and set aside to cool.

While the grains are simmering toast the hazelnuts in a heavy bottomed pan, in an oven that has been preheated to 300F for approximately 20 minutes, turning and checking frequently until they are fragrant and slightly crunchy. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

While the grains are simmering and the hazelnuts are toasting, make the dressing. Whisk together the orange zest and juice, shallots, vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.

Just before serving, in a large bowl, toss the farro with 3 tablespoons dressing and transfer to a large serving bowl. In the same large bowl, combine the salad greens with the nuts, figs, cranberries and onions and gently toss with 3 tablespoons remaining dressing, adding more dressing as needed. Plate the greens on top of the greens on top of the farro and serve.

Serving Size: Makes 4 servings

Number of Servings: 4

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user DVANDRIEL.