Farro Tabbouleh Salad

I have long neglected my favorite grain: Farro.  Being that I had some leftover mint from that fabulous Greek taco/salad, I thought I'd make some tabbouleh, substituting farro for the traditional bulghar wheat.  And may I say.....it is even better.  The wonderful chewy texture that is the essence of farro completes this salad.  Farro is becoming more and more available, so if you can find it, this is a great dish to experiment with.

FARRO TABBOULEH SALAD (4-6 servings)

2/3 cup farro (5 oz)
1/2 pound chopped tomato (1 medium)
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 finely diced fresh mint
2 Tbsp finely diced red onion
2 pickling cucumbers or 1/2 English cucumber, diced
2 Tbsp EVOO
2 Tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

crumbled feta or goat cheese for garnish, optional

In a medium saucepan, cover the farro with 2" of cold water and bring to a boil.  Cook over high heat for 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and let the farro stand until plump and al dente, 30-45 minutes.  Drain the farro in a colander, shaking off the excess water.  Let stand until cool; shake the colander occasionally to dry the farro.

In a large bowl, whish the lemon juice and EVOO and season to taste with S&P.  Add the farro, tomatoes, parsley, mint, onion, and cucumbers.

Garnish with crumbled feta or goat cheese, if desired.