Farro salad
Luise Vindahl and David Frenkiel share vegetarian recipes inspired by their travels around the globe
I’m Swedish, Luise is Danish and we met in Italy – a good indication that it would be impossible for us to stay in one country. Luckily, we share the same love of travelling. When Elsa was seven months old, we took a break from our jobs in Stockholm and travelled around the world. And now we have a son, Isac.
Regardless of destination, the food has always been the most exciting adventure. Visiting green markets, trying regional vegetarian specialities and figuring out how to get invited into the locals’ kitchens are top of our ‘to do’ list. We love learning how ingredients such as lentils can be cooked for dinner in the US and for dessert in Asia.
Food is not only our favourite part of a trip, it is also what we bring back home. When memories fade away, we keep our adventures alive in our Stockholm kitchen. Herbs, favours and scents bring back more vivid images than any photo ever could. David
Farro salad
This no-fuss Mediterranean salad is easy to transport and makes a great lunch or picnic dish – it will still look great if it’s roughly handled, and can be served cold or warm. Roasted root vegetables would be good as a variation. For vegans, leave out the cheese at the end.
LOW 3OF5 FAT ADAY SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins plus 1 hr soaking COOK 30 mins
225g farro (wheatberries), pearl barley or buckwheat
1 courgette, cut into small cubes
1 yellow pepper, halved and deseeded, cut into small cubes
1 fennel bulb, cut into small cubes
15 ripe small tomatoes, cut into small cubes
2 garlic cloves, crushed a little cold-pressed olive oil
juice 1 lemon
handful basil, fnely chopped
handful mint, fnely chopped
150g olives, pitted
25g shelled raw pistachios, coarsely chopped
vegetarian-style Parmesan or pecorino, shaved (optional)
1 Put the farro in a bowl, cover with twice as much water and soak for at least 1 hr (maximum 12 hrs).
2 Meanwhile, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the courgette, pepper, fennel and tomatoes on a baking tray, add the garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Season and toss the mixture together with your hands. Roast in the oven for 30 mins until soft with slightly crisp edges. Carefully stir every now and then.
3 Drain the farro, tip into a saucepan and add twice as much fresh water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 mins until tender. Add 1/ tsp sea salt towards the end of the 2 cooking time. Remove from the heat and drain any excess water.
4 Put the cooked farro in a mixing bowl with the lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Add the roasted vegetables, herbs, olives and pistachios, and toss to mix. Shave a few large slices of Parmesan cheese on top before serving, if you like. Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days.
PER SERVING 344 kcals • fat 10g • saturates 1g • carbs 48g • sugars 7g • fbre 10g • protein 11g • salt 1.3g