Farro with Grilled Summer Vegetables and Pesto Vinaigrette

 Here's one more salad from the summer of never ending salads.  I've posted quite a few of these on the site already: a carrot one, a black bean and corn one, a sugar snap pea one, a black rice one, and many  more.  I'm not sure I could pick a favourite out of all of them, but this one was pretty close.

The charred vegetables with chewy farro and salty Parmesan is a great mouthful.  I like to grill the vegetables and let them cool completely before chopping them.  Usually I will grill them along side supper one evening and then after supper do the dicing and mixing of salad for the next day's lunch or supper.  Planning ahead is half the battle when it comes to meal preparation.  Well, that and a well stocked kitchen, but I'll save that "lecture" for another day. You can serve this warm or at room temperature.  It will refrigerate for a few days as well.

Farro with Grilled Summer Vegetables and Pesto Vinaigrette

adapted from: bon appetit
2 cups farro (dry)
6 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 green zucchini sliced
2 yellow summer squash sliced

1 orange pepper quartered

6 Tbsp pesto
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
fresh basil thinly sliced
Parmesan (optional)

Cook farro in large pot of boiling water until tender, about 15min.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Transfer to a large bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add chopped tomatoes and reserve.

Preheat BBQ to medium heat.  Rub vegetables with 1 Tbsp oil and then grill for about 3-5min per side until charred and cooked through.  Remove from heat and when cool, chop and add to bowl of farro.

Whisk together pesto, lime juice, vinegar and remaining olive oil.  Add to bowl of farro and vegetables  and combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with basil or freshly grated Parmesan.