Farro with Vinegar-Glazed Sweet Potato and Apples

The recipe for Farro with Vinegar-Glazed Sweet Potato and Apples from the editors of Food & Wine’s book Potluck, brings together the flavors of autumn. Every element of this salad can be made ahead of time and pulled out when ready to eat. Farro or wheat berries are cooked with fennel, onion and garlic in stock until al dente. While the farro simmers, roast sweet potatoes and apples in the oven until tender and then toss them with a bit of sherry vinegar. When you’re ready to eat, mix the farro with dried cherries, cashews, a bit of parsley, and the roasted squash and apples. Serve with a shaving of pecorino cheese and commence!

Recipe head note by The Splendid Table Managing Producer Sally Swift

Ingredients

•  1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• Kosher salt

• 4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

• 2 cups farro

• 3/4 lb. sweet potato (1 large), scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces

• Freshly ground pepper

• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar

• 2 Granny Smith apples—peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces

• 3/4 cup dried cherries, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained

• 1 cup roasted cashews, coarsely chopped

• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley

• Shaved pecorino cheese, for serving

Potluck by Editors of Food & Wine

Directions

1. Heat 1/4   cup of the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the fennel, onion, garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is softened, about 8 minutes. Add the stock and farro and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender and the stock is absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potato with remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with sherry vinegar and roast for about 15 minutes, until just starting to soften. Add the apples and toss to coat. Roast for about
20 minutes longer, until the sweet potato and apples are tender but not falling apart. Let cool slightly.

3. In a large bowl, toss the farro mixture with the dried cherries, cashews, parsley and the roasted sweet potato and apples. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to plates, top with shaved pecorino cheese and serve.

—Michael Scelfo

MAKE AHEAD

The farro salad can be refrigerated overnight. Stir in the cashews and parsley just before serving at room temperature.