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Roasted Tomato and Caramelized Onion Farro Salad

September 14, 2011 by Joy the Baker 94 Comments

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New Podcast is ready for your ears!  The Grass is Always Greener.  Dudes… it’s a good one!

I meant to make cake.  I meant to make whipped cream.  I meant to buy fresh raspberries.  I mean to smash the three things together into a large bowl and eat it all… and then I made salad.

Don’t yell.  We can not survive on doughnuts alone.

Let me tell you a little something about me… I do this weird thing wherein I eat one thing, all day.  That’s not to say that I eat one carrot all day.  No.  I eat carrots, and only carrots all day.  I don’t know why I do this.  Welcome to crazybrain.

So!  A few days ago when I made doughnuts…. I ate doughnuts all day.  Doughnuts and lime popsicles… because I was thirsty.  Clearly something is wrong with me.

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I tell you all of this because it’s important you understand that salad is a good thing around these parts.  A salad recipe means that I’m eating salad all day. My thighs like those days.

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Know what makes salad tolerable?  Doughnuts.

No… stop that.  Caramelized onions.

I’m pretty sure that caramelizing onions with a touch of balsamic vinegar is just like turning onions into candy.

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Do you know what farro is?  It’s one of my favorites.  Farro is a type of wheat.  It’s boiled in salted water like pasta, then drained.  When cooked it’s puffed and tender, with a hint of al dente crunch.  I love this grain.  Hearty, wholesome and delicious.

I found farro is the bulk section at Whole Foods, but you can also order it online here.

It’s one of my favorite grains.  It’s popular in Italy.  Let’s make it popular here.

Oh!  If you’re not into farro, why not try Israeli Couscous?

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Secret:  roasting cherry tomatoes on the vine makes them instantly more fancy and cool.

It is our mission in life to be fancy and cool.  Duh.

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Yummy candy onions, fancy roasted tomatoes, hearty farro and fresh parsley.

Yes,  I put parsley in every savory dish I make.  It’s my thing.  It makes me feel chef-y.  It’s like Rachel Ray calling extra virgin olive oil EVOO.  Just give me this parsley thing and we’ll call it even.

Oh.  Ps.  Put fresh grated Parmesan Cheese on this salad.  It is a wonderful suggestion from me to you.

Roasted Tomato and Caramalized Onion Farro Salad

serves 4

Print this Recipe!

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 (or a few good pinches) salt

1/2 teaspoon (or a good pinch) crushed red chili flakes

2 medium yellow onions, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 cup farro

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place cherry tomatoes on a sheet tray.  Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and red chili flakes.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until some tomatoes have burst and are golden brown and sizzling.  Remove from the onion and set aside to cool slightly.

Place olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add sliced onions and toss to coat in fat.  Allow onions to cook down for 5 minutes without stirring.  Toss after 5 minutes, then allow to cook without being disturbed for another 5 minutes.  Add salt and toss.  Onions will begin to brown and break down.  Remove from the heat momentarily, keep your nose back, and add balsamic vinegar.  Toss to coat all of the onions.  Return to heat and allow to cook down to a melty onion consistency.  Onions will be browned, broken down and delicious.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.  When water boils, add a pinch of salt.  Add farro and stir.  Cook farro until it is softened through and has a light al dente bite to it, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Drain farro in a strainer, return to pot, and toss with olive oil.  Add roasted tomatoes, caramalized onions, and chopped parsley.  Toss and serve warm.

Farro salad will last up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

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Comments

  1. Cupcake Kat

    September 15, 2011 at 6:36 pm

    This sounds delicious. I love salads like this. There’s no way I could eat the same food all day but it is a nice thought as I wouldn’t have to think about what I wanted to eat

    Reply
  2. kelsey @aslolife

    September 15, 2011 at 6:16 pm

    Man that looks amazing!

    Reply
  3. Happy When Not Hungry

    September 15, 2011 at 5:26 pm

    Wow this looks amazing! Love the flavors of the roasted tomatoes and the caramelized onions. YUM!

    Reply
  4. emily

    September 15, 2011 at 4:09 pm

    oh my. i want to eat it all. *happy vegetarian dance*

    Reply
  5. Caitlin @ Cake with Love

    September 15, 2011 at 3:50 pm

    My grandmother cooks some very good farro, and also with the caramelized onions so I know that the combination is amazing, and roasted tomatoes, I can have them on everything, so juicy, so flavorful! the pictures are beautiful, I am so hyngry now!! :(

    Reply
  6. Rebecca

    September 15, 2011 at 3:46 pm

    Roasted Tomato Doughnuts? Doughnut coutons in a faro salad??- mucho yum too

    Oh and I have to say, the header is amazing- reminds me of apple pie, swoon.

    Reply
  7. Tommie

    September 15, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    Hands down, fab salad. My thighs thank you. *sighs, as nibbles on popcorn and pickles- my dinner, amen.

    Reply
  8. ellen

    September 15, 2011 at 3:38 pm

    this looks helplessly delish. i just wanna grab a spoon and plunk right in. bet your cat is, right now while you’re reading this ;)

    Reply
  9. lynn @ the actor's diet

    September 15, 2011 at 3:21 pm

    i love eating the same thing all day! i do it a lot less now that i blog everything i eat, though.

    Reply
  10. Sarah-Anne

    September 15, 2011 at 2:04 pm

    loving the roasted tomatoes in the first picture!

    Reply
  11. Brianne

    September 15, 2011 at 12:54 pm

    Joy!

    Hello! This rocks. I have all of these things at home, and I cannot wait to make this for dinner tonight. It’s like you read my pantry or something.

    Reply
  12. Merage

    September 15, 2011 at 12:01 pm

    I would just like to say:
    1. I love this
    2. You wrote “take them out of the onion” when referring to taking the tomatoes out of the oven… lol… and I giggled because you clearly love those caramelized onions. I don’t blame you… I don’t. I could eat them with anything.
    heart.

    Reply
  13. Gen

    September 15, 2011 at 11:48 am

    I love this salad, especially those beautiful tomatoes!

    Reply
  14. meg

    September 15, 2011 at 11:37 am

    Slow roasted tomatoes and farro have been a big part of this summer for me. Our roma vines have produced extravagantly, and it only seems right to cook tomatoes as the Italians would. It’s been a delicious summer.

    Reply
  15. Andrea

    September 15, 2011 at 11:26 am

    Tomatoes left on the vine is brilliant.
    I wish I thought of that myself! Dima is going to love this dish and Im gonna make it tonight and then we are gonna make babies. And then they will be born tomato children and fly away on a broomstick.
    I am sleep deprived, Im sorry.

    Where are pictures of kittyyyyy

    Julia & Julia part 3 coming soon

    Reply
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