Mediterranean Ancient Grains Salad

Made with farro, quinoa, kamut, and roasted red peppers, this Mediterranean Ancient Grains Salad is nutritious, fresh, and easy to make!

Prep:

10

minutes

Cook:

45

minutes

TOtal:

60

minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup of quinoa
  • ½ cup of farro
  • ½ cup of Kamut
  • ½ of a yellow onion (peeled & small diced)
  • 2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley (picked & chopped)
  • 2 ounces of mint (picked & chopped)
  • The zest and juice of 2 lemons
  • ¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt (about 1 tablespoon)

Roasted Baby Peppers

  • 10 baby bell peppers
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 2-4 pinches of salt

Pickled Pepper Oil

  • 7 peppadew peppers
  • 1 tablespoon of peppadew pepper brine
  • 1 ounce of extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

To Cook the Kamut:

  1. Place 4 cups of water into a pot and bring it to a boil. Add the Kamut and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer for about 35-45 minutes or until the water is almost entirely dissolved and the kamut is al dente (a small bite) (If the water evaporates but the Kamut is not finished cooking, add a cup of water and continue cooking until the Kamut is done.)
  2. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt to the kamut, stir to incorporate evenly, and transfer the cooked kamut to a large bowl and set aside.

To Cook the Farro:

  1. Once you have peeled & diced the onion, place a pot on the stove and heat over medium-high heat. Once the pot is hot, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot, followed by the diced onion. Season the onion with a few pinches of salt and cook on medium-low heat for about 3-4 minutes, or until the onions become soft and translucent.
  2. Once the onions are cooked, add the farro and toast the farro in the pot for about 1 minute.
  3. After the farro is toasted, add the water, bring the water to a simmer, and cook at a low simmer for about 25-30 minutes or until the liquid has almost fully evaporated and the farro is no longer crunchy. (If the water evaporates but the farro is not finished cooking, add a cup of water and continue cooking until the farro is done.)
  4. Once the farro is finished cooking, add about ½ teaspoon of salt and transfer the farro into the same bowl as the Kamut.

To Cook the Quinoa:

  1. Place 1 cup of water into a pot and bring it to a boil. Add the quinoa and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes or until the water is mostly absorbed and the quinoa has just a little crunch remaining.
  2. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, add about ½ teaspoon of salt to the quinoa, and cover the pot with the quinoa in it. Allow the quinoa to sit at room temperature, covered, for about 10 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fully cooked.
  3. Once the quinoa is fully cooked, add it to the bowl with the farro and Kamut.

To Finish the Salad:

  1. Once all of the grains have been cooked and transferred into the bowl, add the olive oil, the chopped mint and parsley, and the zest and juice of the lemons. Mix all of the ingredients to combine and adjust the seasoning of the salad to your liking.

Roasted Baby Peppers:

  1. Prepare the peppers by cutting off the tops, and then cutting them into quarters, length-wise.
  2. Place a saute pan on the stove and turn the heat on to high. Allow your pan to get hot and then add about 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, followed by the cut peppers. Gently shake/swirl the pan to ensure all of the peppers make contact with the pan and turn the heat down to medium-high.
  3. Cook the peppers for about 2-3 minutes or until the surface of the peppers facedown in the pan becomes a dark brown and looks slightly charred. Flip each pepper so that the uncooked surface is now facedown in the pan and continue to cook for another 2 mins or until both sides are slightly charred.
  4. Season the peppers with a few pinches of salt and either add the peppers to the ancient grain salad or serve on the side.

Pickled Pepper Oil:

  1. Add the peppadew peppers, along with the pickled pepper brine, and the extra-virgin olive oil to your blender and puree until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Serve as a garnish for the ancient grains salad or add it directly to the salad as a “dressing”.

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