It’s not always easy cooking for just one person – there’s always the temptation to just eat leftovers because it’s so much work with all the preparation!
But that’s where salads come in so handy: they’re quick and easy, and easy to customize so you don’t have to be eating the same thing day after day. It’s a great salad to try out while the berries are at their most delicious.
In this one, for example, using fresh cilantro in the dressing keeps it fresh and interesting, perfect for drizzling over a basic bowl of greens and berries.
Farro is often overlooked, but in Tuscany it’s used frequently in all manner of dishes. Its nutty robust flavour can happily replace meat as a vegetarian option, but also marries well with any protein as an accompaniment.
What you’ll need
- olive oil
- garlic 2 cloves
- farro 500g
- aubergines
- red wine vinegar 2 tbsp
- cucumber ½, regular sized
- parsley and basil combined 1 tbsp, chopped
- mint tbsp chopped
- lemon zest of ½
- dried chilli flakes (a pinch)
How to make it
- Sweat the onion in olive oil until translucent, then add the garlic and raise the heat and cook out.
- Add the farro, turn over in the oil and add enough cold water to cover, bring to a simmer and cook until tender, stirring all the time. This should take around 30 minutes, but you will need to add more water as you go to prevent the farro from drying out. Once tender and cooked, drain and allow to steam dry, then chill.
- For the aubergines, set the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Cut the aubergines into chunks, place on a baking tray, season and lightly drizzle with olive oil and roast for 20–30 mins until cooked and charred on the edges. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar.
- Cut the cucumber into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Once the farro, aubergines and cucumber are ready, place in a large mixing bowl, and add the herbs, the lemon zest, 6 tablespoons of olive oil and taste for seasoning – it will probably need salt.
- Tip on to a large serving platter, drizzle the yoghurt on top and sprinkle over the chilli flakes.
Fitness
Business