This is a delicious grain salad idea for when you find yourself with beets in your fridge. Feel free to substitute any colour of beets you have! Try candy cane, red, or as we used here, gold. The colour of golden beets just feels like fall, and we're adding this recipe to our Thanksgiving list for the year! It's delicious.
Golden Beet + Farro Salad.
1.5 cups dry Flourist Farro
10 Medjool dates, pitted, halved and chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 bunch Italian parsley, leaves only, minced
200g feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup whole almonds
1 lb small to medium golden beets (or 1 bunch)
Dressing:
1 tsp toasted fennel seeds
1 tsp toasted cumin seeds
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 minced shallot
2-2.5 tsp salt
1 tbsp coconut sugar
Start by cooking the Farro according to package directions. Fill a large pot with cold water (about 3 litres) and add the dry Farro. Bring the water to a boil with the lid on, then turn the heat down to medium to maintain a gentle rolling boil. Cook for 50–60 minutes, until the Farro is tender. Drain, rinse, and set aside to cool.
While the Farro cooks, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Heat a cast iron pan over high heat to toast the seeds. Add the cumin and fennel seeds for the dressing and toast for 1–2 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Transfer the seeds to a plate and allow to cool. Using the still-hot pan, add the chopped almonds to the dry pan. Toast over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, again stirring to prevent burning. Once toasted, transfer the almonds to a plate or bowl and set aside to cool fully.
Heat the oven to 400°F. Individually wrap each beet in foil, covering the entire surface. Poke holes in the foil on each beet several times using a fork. Place the foil-wrapped beets on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until soft, about 50–60 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
While still slightly warm, unwrap the beets. Running the beets under cold water, use your hands to rub off the skins. Trim the ends of the beets. Next, slice the beets lengthwise or as desired. You can also chop them into cubes depending on your preference, this may be best decided based on the size of your beets.
Pit the dates by slicing them lengthwise and removing the pits. Chop the dates horizontally and set aside. Mince the parsley.
Once the spices are cool, transfer them to a bowl and combine with the rest of the dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
When all of the components are ready, combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl, reserving some feta, nuts, and parsley for garnish. Add the dressing as desired and mix well. Adjust dressing amount and seasoning to taste, then top with reserved garnishes and serve.
Serves 6-8 as a side.
