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Ina Garten doesn’t gatekeep her favorite dishes. The Barefoot Contessa star often takes to Instagram to give us insight into her personal favorites, and they never disappoint. The popular cookbook author is sure to sprinkle in culinary wisdom along the way, leaving us with smart tips to implement the next time we step into the kitchen or entertain guests.
Recently, Garten shared her secret to chicken stock and hands-off risotto. Not only are the recipes ridiculously easy, they have kept our bowls filled through the coldest weeks of winter.
Now, as the weather warms up, Ina has revealed the perfect spring side dish and it will put your soon-to-flourish herb garden to good use.
This Farro Salad From Charlie Bird Is Ina Garten’s Favorite Side Dish
Garten’s go-to side dish, originally from NYC-institution Charlie Bird, offers a modern take on a versatile ancient grain. “I love having a side dish that goes with everything,” she says in a recent Instagram video as she prepares a large serving bowl filled with cooked farro.
For those unfamiliar, farro is a nutrient-packed grain that dates back thousands of years. Similar to quinoa and bulgur wheat, it can be enjoyed warm or cold, and makes a hearty addition to soups, salads, and grain bowls. Farro is typically cooked in water or broth. However, when boiled with apple cider, as Ina describes in the video, it adds a bright acidic flavor to the otherwise nutty grain.
While farro makes up a large part of the salad, the clear star of the dish is the greenery. "In this case, rather than garnishing [the salad], parsley is a really important flavor," she says as she roughly chops a bundle of leaves. "So you actually get a bite of parsley," she adds, before repeating the process with fresh mint.
As Garten builds the salad, which includes a handful of vibrant pistachios and sliced radishes for crunch, she is sure to incorporate all the elements of a balanced dish: peppery arugula, sweet cherry tomatoes, and freshly shaved Parmesan for a salty punch. A lemony vinaigrette ties the entire dish together, adding a pleasant acidic pop to every bite.
How to Make Ina Garten’s Favorite Farro Salad Recipe
One great thing about the fan-favorite Charlie Bird’s Farro Salad recipe is that it’s easy to follow and flexible, so you can alter add-ins and amounts as needed and adapt it to fit your taste preferences. We even have a version with asparagus here on our site.
To make this simple grain salad, start by tossing cooked farro in a lemon vinaigrette. In this case, it’s just lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Garten’s recipe allows 15 minutes for the farro to marinate, leaving plenty of time to prep the other ingredients. Next, add chopped pistachios, parsley, mint, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, and a few handfuls of arugula. Toss the salad until well combined, and garnish as desired with shaved Parmesan. “Then taste it and make sure the seasoning is right,” Ina notes.
Make It a Meal
Garten mentions lamb and chicken as possible accompaniments to this salad and those are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to pairing. Chicken Piccata would also make an excellent main course. Its crisp golden exterior would complement the soft bites of farro salad. Additionally, grilled chicken thighs and baked Cornish hens would create a dinner party-worthy meal that doesn’t take hours in the kitchen. Seafood lovers can pair farro salad with shrimp or citrusy salmon. For an easy meat-free alternative, add a can of drained chickpeas to boost the nutrient profile and turn this side dish into a main entrée.
We can see why Ina wraps up her video by saying "This is my favorite side dish ever."
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