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Crunchy Farro Salad With Artichokes, Red Bell Peppers and Edamame

Wheat, like rice, has different varieties with differing starch balances. The first cultivated wheat, called einkorn, is ten thousand years old and is still grown today. It crossbred with a wild grass to create emmer (or farro) and durum wheats. A few thousand more years passed before another chance crossbreeding created today’s common bread wheat, as well as spelt and club wheat. If you can’t get farro or spelt berries, whole hard winter wheat berries will work, as will hulled barley or whole oats.

• 1 cup farro or wheat berries
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1/2 tsp. plus a pinch of salt, divided, or to taste
• 2 gloves garlic, peeled
• 2 ounces fresh basil (1 1/2 cups leaves)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2 tbs. lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 baby artichokes or one 13-ounce jar artichoke bottoms, drained
• 1/2 large lemon (if using fresh artichokes)
• 1 small red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed
• Freshly cracked black pepper

In a small, heavy saucepan, dry-toast the farro over high heat until hot and lightly fragrant. Add the vegetable stock, rosemary and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook for about an hour, until tender. Drain any excess stock and cool to room temperature.

Put the garlic, basil and pine nuts in the work bowl of a food processor and process to chop very finely. Add the remaining 1/2-teaspoon salt and lemon juice and process until smooth. Gradually add the olive oil to make a smooth paste.

Trim and halve the baby artichokes and put in a large bowl of cold water with half of the lemon. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, drain the artichokes, and boil them until a knife inserted into an artichoke enters easily.

In a serving bowl, toss the cooked grain, dressing, artichokes, bell pepper and edamame. Crack black pepper over the salad and serve.

Excerpted from The New Whole Grains Cookbook: Terrific Recipes Using Farro, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Barley, and Many Other Delicious and Nutritious Grains by Robin Asbell (Chronicle, 2007).