Equipment
Ingredients
Grain Base
- 200 g pearled farro, rinsed
- 750 ml water or vegetable broth
- 5 g kosher salt
Roasted Fennel
- 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and sliced 1cm thick
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Mix-ins
- 80 g medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 75 g castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved
- 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 15 g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 15 g fresh mint, roughly chopped
Citrus Dressing
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 30 ml orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 2 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 564 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 65 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 11 g
- Sugar
- 19 g
- Sodium
- 1109 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Potassium
- 929 mg
- Calcium
- 290 mg
- Iron
- 7.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 60 mg
- Phosphorus
- 163 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 125 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 24 mg
- Vitamin E
- 4.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 138 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 60 mcg
- Water
- 167 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
Place the sliced fennel on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 30ml of olive oil, and sprinkle with 3g salt and 1g black pepper. Toss until the fennel is evenly coated, then spread into a single layer.
Roast the fennel in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the edges are deep golden brown and caramelized. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
While the fennel roasts, bring the water or vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the 5g of salt and the rinsed farro. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the farro is tender but retains a chewy bite, about 25 minutes.
Drain any excess liquid from the cooked farro through a fine-mesh strainer and transfer the warm grain to a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the 60ml olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, dijon mustard, 2g salt, and 1g black pepper until fully emulsified.
Pour half of the dressing over the still-warm farro and toss well. Allowing the warm grains to absorb the dressing ensures maximum flavor penetration.
Add the roasted fennel, chopped dates, halved olives, fresh parsley, and fresh mint to the bowl. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top and gently fold the ingredients together.
Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese right before serving, ensuring it remains in distinct crumbles rather than melting into a paste.
Chef's Notes
- Dressing the farro while it is still warm is a crucial technique. As the starch cools, it absorbs liquids much more efficiently, locking the citrus notes directly into the grain.
- Castelvetrano olives are highly recommended here; their mild, buttery profile harmonizes with the sweet dates without overpowering the dish like a harsh Kalamata might.
- To elevate the nutty flavor of the farro, try toasting the dry grains in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes before boiling.
- Do not discard the delicate fennel fronds! Chop a small handful and mix them in with the parsley and mint for an extra boost of anise flavor.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The grain will absorb dressing over time; you may need a fresh squeeze of lemon before serving leftovers.
Reheating: Serve chilled or at room temperature. Can be gently warmed in a microwave for 30 seconds if preferred.
Troubleshooting
Farro is mushy or completely blown out
Cause: Overcooking, or boiling pearled farro for the duration meant for whole-grain farro
Fix: Cannot be completely reversed, but you can spread the overcooked grains in a thin layer on a baking sheet to allow steam to escape and firm them up slightly before assembling.
Prevention: Check the farro package to confirm if it is pearled or whole. Begin tasting the grains 5 to 10 minutes before the suggested cooking time ends.
Dressing tastes too acidic
Cause: Lemons were highly acidic, or the orange juice lacked natural sweetness
Fix: Whisk in a half teaspoon of honey or maple syrup to balance the sharpness.
Prevention: Taste your citrus juices before mixing; adjust ratios depending on their natural sugar content.
Cultural Context
Farro is an ancient wheat grain that has served as a staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern diets for millennia, prized for its robust nutrition and satisfying chew. This salad applies the classic Levantine culinary principle of balancing intensely sweet elements, like Medjool dates, with briny, salty components like feta and cured olives, creating a harmonious and layered flavor profile.
