Here’s a hearty winter salad that doesn’t include any pale wimpy tomatoes, it’s filled with delicious and nutty tasting farro, butternut squash, fresh spinach, honey goat cheese, pecans for crunch and my new favorite ingredient, roasted grapes!
Yes you heard me, roasted grapes, have you tried them yet? I have to admit this was the first time for me and I can’t believe what took me so long. My friend Stacey makes them all the time and has always said just how wonderful they are.
Just like when you roast vegetables the flavor gets much more enhanced, same here with the grapes, they take on a different taste and the flavor is elevated. The skin gets softer in the process and the insides are just bursting with sweet juice.
For this recipe I just roasted a whole container of seedless red grapes, a whole medium butternut squash and a whole package of farro, you’re going to have leftovers, but that’s a good thing. I like to freeze my leftover cooked farro for easy access to use in other recipes.
A simple, bright lemon and olive oil dressing brings all the flavors together nicely.
Another use for those leftover luscious roasted gems, toss them into a chicken salad like I did. I added spicy arugula, gorgonzola and toasted almonds drizzled with some of that lemon and olive oil dressing. Delish!
Stacey suggested I try my roasted grapes on a crostini smeared with a little ricotta, and boy was she right. A drizzle of honey, crunchy toasted walnuts and fresh thyme took it over the edge!
Go get a container of grapes right now and start roasting!
- 1 container of seedless red grapes, rinsed and dried completely
- 1 small or medium butternut squash, peeled, cut and diced small
- 1 cup of cooked farro, or just make the whole package like I did and freeze leftovers. Cook according to package directions, then cool.
- a good handful of fresh spinach
- ½ log of honey goat cheese or regular, crumbled
- a good handful of whole pecans or any nuts of your choice
- fresh lemon juice
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 finely grated garlic clove
- salt and pepper to taste
- Heat oven to 425, for the grapes spread them on a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil and a little sea salt. I wanted my grapes to retain their shape so I only roasted them for about 15 minutes, occasionally shaking the pan just until I saw them start to slightly burst. If you want them to completely burst with the juice oozing out I would place them on parchment and cook them longer. Set aside to cool.
- Roast the diced butternut squash, on a separate baking sheet, same temp until golden. Let cool.
- Cook farro according to package and cool down.
- Assemble your salad on a platter with all the with all the ingredients including the spinach and crumbled goat cheese and nuts.
- Spoon the lemon and olive oil dressing all around.
- LEMON DRESSING
- 1 part fresh squeezed lemon juice to 2 parts olive oil
- add 1 grated garlic clove, salt and pepper and whisk