Farro Salad with Shrimp

This got expensive for something I made to use a head of Romaine out of the garden.  (Yes, I'm gloating that I actually have Romaine that hasn't been recalled.)  I'm considering the $6 bag of farro (wheat) an investment that will pop up in several dishes over the upcoming months, like the bulgur.  Then I put shrimp and asparagus on the salad.  The carrots and salad dressing were from pantry and garden ingredients, but this still ran on the high end of how I normally shop.  It reminded me of a Cheesecake Factory salad, only much smaller.

This idea was also born on a day that I went to the funeral of a 95 year old choir member and found out that a 21 year old coworker had developed Bell's palsy.  I'd much rather end up like the 95 year old and decided to make something healthy, even though Bell's is from nerve inflammation and generally unpredictable.  The real trick is making something nutritious that doesn't taste like you were trying to be a health nut.  This has a good amount of protein, fiber, and iron while being low in salt and "bad" fats.  Basically, how we're supposed to eat.

I forgot to buy feta, but a few crumbles on top would add a nice touch.  You don't need a side bread or croutons, because farro is wheat.  It ends up tasting like brown rice when cooked.  I decided to blanch the asparagus and carrots to go with the cooked aspect of the wheat, and everything was still a little warm when it was served.  I would go for room temperature normally for this.

Salad
1 C dry farro
1 heart of Romaine
2 carrots, cut in matchsticks
1/2 lb asparagus, cut in 2" lengths
*1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tb butter
1 lb peeled raw shrimp, size optional

Dressing
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 C white wine vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
*1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Combine farro and 3 C water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a low boil over medium heat.  Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until softened, about 30 minutes.  Drain any remaining water and refrigerate until ready to use.

2.  Refill saucepan with 2" of water.  Bring it to a boil, add asparagus and carrot pieces, and turn off the heat.  Let the veggies sit in the warm water for about 5 minutes.  You want them softened and with a brighter color, but not completely cooked.  Drain, rinse with cool water, and refrigerate until needed.

3.  For the dressing, combine all of its ingredients in a bowl or cup and whisk until mixed.  It's going to settle out before you use it and you'll have to whisk it again, but this will help the flavors to meld.  If you're serving the salad within an hour, you don't need to refrigerate the already room-temperature ingredients.  If not, stick it in the fridge.

4.  Chop the Romaine very finely, more like a chiffonade that's been cut up again.  That will help it to mix evenly with the farro.  Toss lettuce with the cooled veggies, farro, and dressing.  Plate if being served within the hour, or refrigerate and let the dressing soak into the wheat.

5.  Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the other clove of minced garlic and allow it to get fragrant.  Add the shrimp and cook until pink at least half of the way through, 3 or 4 minutes.  Don't disturb the shrimp and they'll get that pretty, browned, crusty look.  Flip and sear the other side until they're pink all the way through.  Top salads with the warm shrimp and serve.

Difficulty rating  :)