Caramelised lemon vinegtette and farro salad

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 05:08:12 GMT

Step 1

For the vinaigrette, wash the lemons with warm water and a gentle scrub. Thinly slice the lemons in 0.5 cm slices. Save the end pieces for later. Heat a 1/4 cup of oil to a large sautè pan (enough to fit all lemon slices) over medium heat.

Step 2

Carefully add the lemon slices (not the ends) to the pan. Sear each side until amber and caramelized. Reduce the heat to medium-low as needed. I don’t like timing this process since our stove settings could be so different, so instead of sharing time estimates, here are some visual clues you should look for: when you sear the first side, the bits and juices around the lemon will get darker and darker, lift the lemon with a pair of tongues, if it’s golden amber, flip it, otherwise, keep searing. If a certain spot starts browning and caramelizing too fast, place a lemon end over it and move it with a pair of tongues, back and forth to “wash” that spot. Make sure you keep an eye on the pan at all time, the natural sugars can burn really fast.

Step 3

Once the lemons are seared, place them on the cutting board. Finely chop the cooked lemons until they roughly turn into a paste. Grab one of the leftover lemon ends and brush the pan with the cut side down. Brush off all those caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan and pour the leftover oil in the mixing bowl.

Step 4

Add the caramelized lemon paste to the mixing bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil to the bowl, 60 g or 3 tablespoons of honey, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Whisk to emulsify.

Step 5

Add 1/4 cup of water to the bowl and whisk to combine. Try the dressing and add more honey as needed, to taste.

Step 6

Store the dressing in a jar, in the fridge, up to 3 to 4 weeks.

Step 7

Add the farro to a small empty pot. Add a cup of water and wash the farro grains, similar to how you would rinse rice before cooking. Discard the water.

Step 8

Add 2 cups of water and a big pinch of salt over the washed farro. Bring to a boil, then simmer or medium-low for 20 minutes to 50 minutes, depending on the farro you’re using (pearled farro will take around 20 minutes to cook, whole farro will take 40 to 50 minutes to cook). Drain the excess water and set aside.

Step 9

Combine the lettuce, dates, and nuts in a bowl. Drizzle the dressing all over and toss to combine. Finely grate the cheese all over the salad, right before serving.

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