Composed Farro Salad with Butternut Squash, Mushrooms and Arugula

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

In a composed salad, each ingredient is artfully arranged on a platter rather than being mixed together in a bowl. Nutty farro is the defining element of this showpiece. It is simmered in vegetable stock with hard cider and aromatics, then tossed with earthy roasted mushrooms and a sweet and sharp dressing made with apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and maple syrup. Thin slices of roasted butternut squash serve as a foundation, while baby arugula and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano add color and charm. Roasted seeds—reserved from the butternut squash—are the crowning detail. Note that farro cooking time may vary depending on whether you have whole-grain, semi-pearled, pearled or “quick-cooking.” Check your package for recommended cooking time.

Serves 6

FOR THE FARRO:
1 quart vegetable stock
2 cups water
12 ounces dry hard cider
3 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1½ cups pearled farro, rinsed

FOR THE SALAD:
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), seeds reserved, flesh peeled, quartered and sliced into ¼-inch thick pieces
12 ounces mixed local mushrooms, torn or cut into bite size pieces
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE DRESSING:
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
3 handfuls fresh baby arugula
½ cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

FOR THE FARRO: In a large pot over high heat, bring the vegetable stock, water and hard cider to a boil. Add the bay leaves, thyme, garlic, salt and rinsed farro, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes, or until the grains are tender but still have some bite. Drain the farro and discard the bay leaves, thyme and garlic.

FOR THE SALAD: Preheat oven to 325°F.

Place the reserved squash seeds in a bowl of water and swish around. The fleshy bits should sink to the bottom and you can scoop out the clean seeds that float to the top. Dry the seeds on a paper towel. Transfer them to a parchment-lined sheet pan, toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 450°F.

Place the butternut squash in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on a second parchment-lined sheet pan and do the same with the other 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. When the oven comes up to temperature, roast both vegetables for 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and continue roasting the squash for another 5 minutes, or until tender.

FOR THE DRESSING AND ASSEMBLY: Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the warm farro and roasted mushrooms and stir together until everything is nicely coated. It may seem like a lot of dressing, but as the farro cools it will absorb some of the liquid and all the delicious flavor. Taste and add more salt if you like.

Arrange the roasted squash on a large rimmed platter. Top with spoonfuls of the farro mixture, baby arugula and shaved Parmigiano. Lastly, sprinkle the reserved roasted squash seeds on top. Serve at room temperature.

This recipe appeared in the Fall 2023 issue as part of a larger story on Fall Potlucks.