Name: Kale and Farro Salad with Fennel, Olives, and Parmesan
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups whole farro , rinsed; ½ teaspoon table salt , plus salt for cooking farro; 5 ounces lacinato kale , stemmed and sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 small shallot , minced; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 1 fennel bulb , fronds minced, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin; ⅓ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives , torn in half; ¼ cup slivered almonds , toasted, divided; 1 ounce Parmesan cheese , shaved thin

Why This Recipe Works

This occasion-worthy salad marries farro with slightly bitter kale, while fennel accents the dish with its faint licorice aroma. A sharp lemon-shallot vinaigrette and briny olives pull it all together. Tearing the olives gives them craggy edges that up the textural interest.

Before You Begin

It’s best to use whole-grain farro here. You can use pearl farro, but cooking times vary, so start checking for doneness after 10 minutes. Do not substitute quick-cooking farro. Lacinato (aka dinosaur or Tuscan) kale is more tender than curly-leaf kale, but you can substitute curly-leaf kale; if you do, increase the massaging time to 5 minutes. Do not use baby kale.

Instructions

Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Stir in 1½ cups rinsed whole farro and 1 tablespoon table salt and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well. Spread farro on rimmed baking sheet and let cool for 15 minutes.

Vigorously squeeze and massage 5 ounces lacinato kale, stemmed and sliced ¼ inch thick, with hands until leaves are uniformly darkened and slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Whisk 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 small minced shallot, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Add cooled farro; kale; 1 fennel bulb, halved and sliced thin; ⅓ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, torn in half; and 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds and toss to combine. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours; bring to room temperature before serving.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with 1 ounce thinly shaved Parmesan cheese, minced fennel fronds, and remaining 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds. Serve.