Serves 4
Champagne vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups cooked ceci beans (also called chickpeas and garbanzo beans), recipe follows
- 1 cup shaved celery
- 2 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, green parts only
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2. In a mixing bowl, toss together the beans, cabbage, celery, scallions, bell peppers, parsley, and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Add enough vinaigrette to dress well. You will need between ½ and ¾ cup. Reserve any leftover vinaigrette for another use.
4. Divide the salad among 4 serving plates or pile it high on a platter.
About the wine:
While the creamy ceci beans may be able to handle a red wine, there are many detractors to that plan in this dish, such as the high-acid components: champagne vinaigrette and lemon. Keep it fresh and clean with your wine choice. Crisp, lean Muller-Thurgau from a producer like Pojer e Sandri in Trentino will stay in theme.
Cooked Ceci Beans
Makes about 2 1/2 cups
Farro with Vegetables
A grain-based antipasti makes all kinds of sense to me. The grain absorbs the stock, similarly to rice when you make risotto, and becomes nice and creamy -- the ideal foundation for the sautéed vegetables. I love to make this with summer vegetables but you could use others veggies, depending on the season.
Serves 4
Farro:
Vegetables:
1. To prepare the farro, in a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat and cook the onions for 2 to 3 minutes just until softened but not colored. Add the farro and stir until lightly toasted and evenly coated with butter and onions.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, heat the stock over medium-high heat until simmering. Adjust the heat to keep it at a low simmer.
3. Reduce the heat under the farro to medium and in 3 additions, slowly stir the chicken or vegetable stock into the farro until it absorbs the liquid and is cooked through, similarly to cooking risotto. Reserve any stock you don't need. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
4. To prepare the vegetables, in a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the slivered garlic for about 30 seconds. Add the onions, fennel, green beans, zucchini, squash, and corn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onions soften. Add the tomatoes, olives, and basil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir the vegetables into the farro. Set the saucepan over medium heat and add cheese, butter, and vinegar. Stir gently and season with salt and pepper as needed.
