Summer Farro Salad

     Back to school time means back to making lunch.  I'm actually happy to be back to school simply for the more consistent routine.  This summer I felt like I packed so much into each day and was constantly running from one place to another.  When thinking about lunch for this week, I was tempted to make the Farro with Peas and Watermelon that I posted about a while back.  I have made it several times and I really like the combination of sweet watermelon with the salty cheese and the black pepper.  But instead I went on a hunt for a different farro salad.  I ended up finding one that is a take on a caprese salad, which is perfect given the fact that my grandma is still blessing us with more tomatoes than we know what to do with!

Summer Farro Salad 
Recipe from www.food52.com

Ingredients
2 cups farro (you can also use barley)
1 medium red onion, cut in half
1 garlic clove
1 handful of fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 cup finely diced mozzarella (1/4 inch cubes)
6 kalamata olives, minced
1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
black pepper to taste
Dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp honey

Method
1. Place 2 cups farro, half of the red onion, the garlic clove, and a few sprigs of parsley in a pot.  Add 2 3/4 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the temperature to a simmer and cover.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Remove the pot from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.  Cool the farro completely.  This can be done by spreading it on a baking sheet.  Also, remove the remaining onion and garlic from the farro and discard.
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining onion (diced), tomatoes, parsley and basil, olives, and the mozzarella.  Stir in the cooled farro.
3. To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, and honey.  Pour over the salad and mix thoroughly.  Season with black pepper.

The Taste Test
     I tasted this before and after putting the dressing on and I think I liked it better without.  I only put about half of the dressing mixture onto the salad and it was just enough to add a little more moisture and flavor.  Next time I think I'll try leaving it off all together.  The farro had a nice chewy texture and the combination of tomatoes, cheese, and onions gave it a lot of flavor.