Make Now: Nancy Silverton’s Grains and Seeds Salad
Courtesy of Nancy Silverton
Silverton’s love for grains runs deeper than their recent renaissance. She fries the grains before adding them to the salad to create a crispy, crunchy texture that’s still light and tender. To simplify with fewer varieties of grains and seeds, just make sure the total adds up to one-half cup. The fried grains are also great to keep on hand to sprinkle on eggs, vegetables, or yogurt.
How to Make It
1
To cook the farro, bring 4 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat and stir in the kosher salt. Add the farro and cook for about 14 minutes, until tender. Drain and spread onto a small baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight to dry.
2
For the dressing, stir together the grated onion, vinegar, horseradish, and salt in a medium bowl. Allow onion to marinate for 5 to 10 minutes, then stir in the aioli and mustard. Add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly.
3
Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F. On a baking sheet, toss sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp. of olive oil, and 1⁄2 tsp. of the kosher salt. Toast the seeds in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring the seeds halfway through. When evenly browned, transfer seeds to a medium bowl.
4
In a small skillet, toss together pumpkin seeds, 1 tbsp. olive oil, and 1⁄2 tsp. salt. Toast over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often until the seeds are toasted and start to pop in the pan; add pumpkin seeds to the bowl with the sunflower seeds.
5
Toast flaxseeds (without oil) in the skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, shaking the pan so they cook evenly, then transfer to the bowl with the other seeds.
6
To fry the grains, fill a small deep saucepan with 1 1⁄2 to 2 in. of canola oil. Heat over medium-high heat until a thermometer registers 400°F or a pinch of salt sizzles when dropped into the oil. Remove the farro from the refrigerator and line a baking sheet with paper towels.
7
Add the farro to the oil and fry for about 6 minutes, until the bubbles subside and the grains are browned. Use a mesh strainer to remove farro, shaking gently to drain, and spread the grains out on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1⁄2 tsp. of salt.
8
Turn off the heat, add the wild rice to the oil, and fry until the grains are puffed and crispy, about 10 seconds. Remove rice with strainer, shaking off excess oil, and combine with the farro and 1⁄2 tsp. of salt. Add the quinoa to the oil and fry for 10 seconds, until the grains pop. Drain and add the quinoa to the baking sheet with the other grains and another 1⁄2 tsp. of salt. Add the wild rice, quinoa, and farro to the bowl with the toasted seeds. Sprinkle with the remaining 1⁄2 tsp. salt and toss to combine.
9
To serve, squeeze the lemon over the escarole, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat. Drizzle half of the dressing over the escarole and toss with your hands. Build the salad in three layers starting with the largest leaves first. Arrange 1/3 of the escarole to cover the bottom of a large bowl, then lay 1/3 of the avocado slices over the escarole. Scatter 1/3 of the bacon and 1/3 of the grains and seeds over the salad. Build two more layers, using smaller leaves with each layer. Top with halved eggs and season them with flaky salt. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the entire salad.
Ingredients
FARRO
1 scant tbsp. kosher salt
¼ cup farro
1 tbsp olive oil
DRESSING
½ large yellow onion, peeled and grated on the medium holes of a box grater
3 tbsp Champagne vinegar
3 tbsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp aioli or store-bought mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup plus 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
SEEDS AND GRAINS
¼ cup raw hulled sunflower seeds
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp kosher salt
¼ cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds
¼ cup flaxseeds
3 cups canola oil
(or another neutral-flavored oil), or as needed
¼ cup wild rice
¼ cup quinoa
SALAD
½ lemon
2 heads escarole, trimmed and leaves torn
½ tsp kosher salt
1 ripe but firm avocado, sliced
3 oz thick-sliced applewood-smoked bacon, cooked and thinly sliced
3 extra-large eggs, soft-boiled, peeled, and sliced lengthwise
Flaky sea salt
Directions
1
To cook the farro, bring 4 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat and stir in the kosher salt. Add the farro and cook for about 14 minutes, until tender. Drain and spread onto a small baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight to dry.
2
For the dressing, stir together the grated onion, vinegar, horseradish, and salt in a medium bowl. Allow onion to marinate for 5 to 10 minutes, then stir in the aioli and mustard. Add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly.
3
Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F. On a baking sheet, toss sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp. of olive oil, and 1⁄2 tsp. of the kosher salt. Toast the seeds in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring the seeds halfway through. When evenly browned, transfer seeds to a medium bowl.
4
In a small skillet, toss together pumpkin seeds, 1 tbsp. olive oil, and 1⁄2 tsp. salt. Toast over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often until the seeds are toasted and start to pop in the pan; add pumpkin seeds to the bowl with the sunflower seeds.
5
Toast flaxseeds (without oil) in the skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, shaking the pan so they cook evenly, then transfer to the bowl with the other seeds.
6
To fry the grains, fill a small deep saucepan with 1 1⁄2 to 2 in. of canola oil. Heat over medium-high heat until a thermometer registers 400°F or a pinch of salt sizzles when dropped into the oil. Remove the farro from the refrigerator and line a baking sheet with paper towels.
7
Add the farro to the oil and fry for about 6 minutes, until the bubbles subside and the grains are browned. Use a mesh strainer to remove farro, shaking gently to drain, and spread the grains out on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1⁄2 tsp. of salt.
8
Turn off the heat, add the wild rice to the oil, and fry until the grains are puffed and crispy, about 10 seconds. Remove rice with strainer, shaking off excess oil, and combine with the farro and 1⁄2 tsp. of salt. Add the quinoa to the oil and fry for 10 seconds, until the grains pop. Drain and add the quinoa to the baking sheet with the other grains and another 1⁄2 tsp. of salt. Add the wild rice, quinoa, and farro to the bowl with the toasted seeds. Sprinkle with the remaining 1⁄2 tsp. salt and toss to combine.
9
To serve, squeeze the lemon over the escarole, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat. Drizzle half of the dressing over the escarole and toss with your hands. Build the salad in three layers starting with the largest leaves first. Arrange 1/3 of the escarole to cover the bottom of a large bowl, then lay 1/3 of the avocado slices over the escarole. Scatter 1/3 of the bacon and 1/3 of the grains and seeds over the salad. Build two more layers, using smaller leaves with each layer. Top with halved eggs and season them with flaky salt. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the entire salad.
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