Farro Nicoise

I'm a huge fan of Salad Nicoise....save for two ingredients. The first is eggs. I'd rather have a colonoscopy than eat eggs. The second is potatoes. Most Salad Nicoise recipes call for 10 small red potatoes. That's a lot of not-so-good-for-you carbs...for a salad.

Enter Mark Bittman, acclaimed chef and food writer for The New York Times. He created a healthier version of the salad by swapping out the spuds with whole-grain farro. Farro is rich in cyanogenic glucosides that stimulate the immune system, regulate blood sugar levels and lowers cholesterol. They also reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. And farro makes the salad rich in fiber instead of starch.

Yes, Mark left the eggs in the recipe, which I just omit (because it's easier than a colonoscopy). For the canned tuna, I prefer Cento. Best tasting canned tuna ever! You can find it in a yellow can at Whole Foods or at amazon.com. And for the olives, use either nicoise (recommended) or kalamata. Do not use regular black olives, which are simply green olives that have been artificially ripened with chemicals. This recipe serves four.


Ingredient
1 cup farro
Salt
1 pound green beans, trimmed
3 anchovy fillets
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more if needed
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 2 lemons, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon capers
1 6-ounce can good tuna in olive oil
1/2 cup parsley leaves
Ground black pepper
3 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 hard-cooked eggs, halved
1/2 cup niçoise or kalamata olives


Directions

1. Put the farro and a large pinch salt in a medium saucepan with water to cover by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender but still has bite, 20 to 30 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep the grains covered; if any liquid remains by the time the farro is tender, strain it out. 
2. Meanwhile, bring another medium pan of water to a boil and salt it. Add the green beans and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 minutes or so, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water or run under cold water to cool them. 
3. Put the anchovies, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, mustard, shallot and capers in a food processor and purée. Chop the tuna and parsley by hand and mix them in. (Alternatively, add the parsley to the food processor and pulse to chop, then add the tuna and pulse, once or twice, to blend. Don’t purée the tuna but chop it well.) The mixture should be pourable; if it isn’t, add lemon juice, olive oil or water to thin a bit. Add pepper, then taste and adjust the seasoning.Toss the farro, warm, with about half the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and pile it on a platter. Arrange the green beans, tomatoes, eggs and olives around the farro, as artfully as you like. Drizzle the remaining dressing over them and serve.Toss the farro, warm, with about half the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and pile it on a platter. Arrange the green beans, tomatoes, eggs and olives around the farro, as artfully as you like. Drizzle the remaining dressing over them and serve. 
4. Toss the farro, warm, with about half the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and pile it on a platter. Arrange the green beans, tomatoes, eggs and olives around the farro, as artfully as you like. Drizzle the remaining dressing over them and serve. 

Wine pairing: Sauvignon Blanc or rose´ Champagne.