What We’re Cooking This Week: Farro Salad With Roasted Zucchini & Harissa

Jim Dixon wrote about food for WW for more than 20 years, but these days most of his time is spent at his olive oil-focused specialty food business Wellspent Market. Jim’s always loved to eat, and he encourages his customers to cook by sending them recipes every week through his newsletter. We’re happy to have him back creating some special dishes just for WW readers.

Whether picnic, potluck or any other occasion that requires feeding more than a couple of people, I make a grain salad. And if I’ve got leftover grilled vegetables, it’s often something like this one. The basic formula combines the grain, preferably a whole grain like brown rice, naked barley, or unpearled farro, with vegetables and herbs dressed with olive oil and vinegar. And if I want to give the flavor a boost, I’ll stir in a spicy condiment.

The chile paste called harissa comes from the Maghreb, the arid northwestern corner of Africa, and the Arab root word harasa, which means to pound. In the olden days before food processors, cooks pounded chiles with garlic, spices and oil to make harissa. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make it either way using one of the many recipes online, but it’s much easier to just open a jar. In the 30 years since salsa first outsold ketchup, the spicy condiment selection has exploded, and these days you can find harissa at most grocery stores.

And if you don’t have any leftover grilled zucchini, it’s quick and easy to roast the ubiquitous summer squash. Since they’re mostly water, high temperature is the key to getting the zucchini tender but not mushy. If your oven has a convection or air frying mode, use it. Just check frequently and pull them out when they start to get a little color.

Ingredients:

1 cup unpearled farro

3 smallish zucchini (about 6 inches long and on the thin side)

1 medium shallot, chopped

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons wine vinegar

1 tablespoon harissa

Handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped

Kosher-style sea salt

Use a saucepan to cook the farro in plenty of salted water (bring it to a boil, then simmer for about 40 minutes or until tender). Drain and let cool.

Slice the zucchini lengthwise into quarters, toss with about a tablespoon of the olive oil, and roast at 400–450 degree until just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut into roughly half-inch pieces.

In a large bowl combine the farro, zucchini, shallot, tomatoes and mint. Add the rest of the olive oil, vinegar and harissa along with a healthy pinch or two of salt. Mix well and taste, adding more salt if needed. Best at room temperature.