What does Athena serve her Hampton's crew all summer long? A big bowl of veggies, herbs and edible flowers, of course. We couldn't leave her without knowing her most swoon-worthy seasonal recipe.
Athena Calderone's Summer Veggie Farro Salad (makes 4 servings)
For the Salad:
- 1 cup farro
- 1⁄2 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
- 1/2 pound asparagus
- 1 bunch French radish, halved lengthwise
- 1⁄2 cup mint leaves, roughly torn
- 1⁄2 cup basil leaves, roughly torn
- 1 cup of pea tendrils
- edible flowers
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/3 cup tablespoons olive oil, plus a drizzle
- splash white wine vinegar
- sprinkles of Himalayan salt & pepper
Process:
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil. Add farro, cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the grains are tender.
- Bring another large pot of salted water to boil for blanching the snap peas and asparagus. Create an ice bath in a large bowl to shock the veggies. Blanch snap peas and asparagus for 1 to 2 minutes, until just tender but still crisp. Remove the beans from the pot with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into the ice bath. Drain and set aside on a paper towel.
- Combine the lemon and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the cooked farro with a splash of white wine vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss to coat so that grains are dressed and seasoned.
- Cut the asparagus and snap peas on a bias into bite-size 1” pieces. Combine the snap peas, asparagus, and radish in a bowl and dress lightly with the lemon dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the pea tendrils and torn herbs, toss gently.
- On a platter or shallow bowl, mound the farro and top with veggie mixture. Season with salt and fresh pepper. Finish with delicate edible flowers and some more herbs to your liking.
