Farro Salad

This is a cold salad that requires a few hours.

Ingredients:

1 cup of Farro
3 cups of Arugula
3 sliced Tofu Sausages
1 cup of Sliced Almonds
1 cup of Dried Cranberries

Unmeasured Ingredients:
(the amount of these ingredients included are up to the chef. Some like it salty…)

Thyme
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Hard Materials

1 Boiling Pot
2 Sautee Pans
1 Salad Bowl
1 Stirring Spoon
1 Serving Utensil
1 Colander

Preparation:

Prepare the farro first. One cup of farro requires two cups of water and the process for preparation is similar to that of rice. Therefore, add two cups of water to one cup of farro in a medium sized boiling pot and let cook for about 20 minutes with the lid on. Add two pinches of salt to the boiling pot. At the 20 minute mark begin to check to see that the farro is still a bit firm; soggy farro in a cold salad will not be as tasty.

While the farro is cooking prepare a thyme dressing for it by infusing thyme in olive oil. Start with about five table spoons of olive oil in a sautee pan over low head. As the oil heats up add as much or as little thyme as you would like. Also, if you enjoy salt and pepper add those to this mixture as well. Once the oil has heated and the herbs and spices have been properly infused, about seven to ten minutes, let it cool on the stove.

Once the farro is cooked to the proper firmness, use your judgement by imaginining yourself eating it cold and liking it (this may take a few moments to visualize, just let it happen), strain out the extra water using a colander. Put the colander directly into the refridgerator and let the farro chill, perhaps about an hour. Also, transfer the olive oil mixture from the sautee pan to a dish and put in the refridgerator to chill as well.

After the farro and dressing have been chilling for a while, in another sautee pan add sliced tofu sausage and seer. I used tofu “Italian Sausage,”adds a bit more spice to the final flavor.

After everything has had a chance to get cold, and the sausage is prepared, combine the farro, arugula, sliced almonds and sausage in a salad bowl. Gently toss.

Finally, dress the salad with the olive oil mixture and a bit of balsamic vinegar to your liking. Salt the salad one more time if you wish and toss again. Garnish the salad by sprinkling dried cranberries on top before serving.

Enjoy with an Argentine red wine.