Back in my restaurants days, we used to make a delicious summer salad of white rice with peas, shredded carrots and radishes dressed with a dill mayonnaise. It was tasty and filling but, in retrospect, I can’t say it was terribly nutritious. But I figured there had to be a way to make it lighter, and there was.
I started by replacing the white rice with farro. An ancient and nutritious form of whole wheat from Italy, farro boasts a pleasingly nutty taste and a slightly chewy texture. It’s not as popular here as it should be because too many home cooks think that it is complicated and/or time consuming to make. Neither is true.
What is true is that the prep time for farro depends largely on the variety you buy. There are three kinds sold in America — whole, semi-pearled and pearled. All three tend to be labeled simply “farro,” though the instructions on the back of the package are more specific.
Whole farro — bran and husk included — is the most nutritious and takes the longest to cook. Pearled farro — with the bran and husk removed — takes the least time. In any case, just follow the instructions on the back of the package and plan ahead. If you cook a big batch during the weekend, you can freeze it in 2-, 3- or 4-cup portions, then use just what you need during the week.