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RECIPE

Chopped Rabe & Farro Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
6
This recipe was inspired by the bountiful amount of fresh cut broccoli rabe that my dear neighbor Barb continues to gift me. The abundance of broccoli, along with my need to creatively find a way to get my kids to eat it, was the inspiration behind this recipe. I think you will find that honey mustard dressing is pretty much the trick for getting kids to eat any vegetable.  This recipe can also be made ahead of time. You can marinate the broccoli, onions, and farro for up to 8 hours before serving time.
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Bluebird Emmer Farro
  • 6-8 pieces bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 3 cups broccoli rabe chopped
  • 1/2 cup red onion diced
  • 1 cup pecans or walnuts roasted and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • salt and pepper to taste
Honey Mustard Dressing
  • 1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
  • 3-4 Tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 medium clove garlic finely diced
Instructions
  • Add 1/2 cup of whole grain emmer farro to 3 cups boiling water. Simmer on medium-low for 45 minutes. Turn heat off. Let grain sit in water for about 5 minutes. Drain excess liquid, set farro aside to cool.
  • In small bowl add together: Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Whisk vigorsly (3-4 minutes) until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Dressing should be creamy.
  • Chop broccoli rabe (stems and all) into small bite size pieces. Dice onion. Blend rabe and onion in large bowl along with cooled emmer farro.
  • Dress ingredients with 1/2 cup of the honey mustard dressing and stir until well combined (save the remaining dressing for later).  Place marinating rabe in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (this can marinate 2-3 hours before serving).
  • While the blend is in the refrigerator; cook slices of bacon until browned. Turn off heat. Place strips of bacon on a paper towel and allow slices to cool. Crumble into small pieces, set aside.
  • Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in cast iron skillet. Roast whole nuts in bacon grease until browned, cool in separate bowl then chop coarsely. 
  • Set aside bacon, nuts, cranberries and frozen peas until ready to serve. Peas should remain in the freezer until salad is ready to serve.
  • Set aside bacon, nuts, cranberries and frozen peas until ready to serve. Peas should remain in the freezer until salad is ready to serve.
  • If salad seems dry, add remaining dressing or a little extra olive oil. Top with crumbled bacon. Serve alone or on top of freshly picked greens.