Mint and Pea Farro Salad with Feta and Lemon

There's a stretch in late spring when the garden gives you more peas than you know what to do with, and the mint has taken over the corner of the herb bed like it always does. This salad is my answer to both problems. It's built on farro, an ancient grain with a nutty flavor and a satisfying chew that holds up beautifully to dressing. It's the kind of salad that gets better after an hour in the fridge, which makes it ideal for picnics, potlucks, and lunches you want to pack the night before. I make a big bowl on Sunday and eat it all week, sometimes with a fried egg on top, sometimes alongside grilled chicken or lamb, sometimes just on its own with a piece of crusty bread.

The peas can be fresh, frozen, or — my favorite — a mix of fresh shelling peas and sugar snaps for texture. If you're using fresh peas, blanch them for just a minute or two in salted boiling water, then shock them in ice water to keep their color bright. Frozen peas just need a quick thaw; no cooking required. The mint should be plentiful and torn rather than chopped, so the leaves stay intact and release their oils as you eat. Feta adds a salty, creamy counterpoint, and a lemony vinaigrette ties everything together without weighing it down.

Cooking Farro (and Getting the Texture Right)

Farro comes in a few forms — pearled, semi-pearled, and whole — and they cook at different rates. Pearled farro is the quickest, ready in about fifteen to twenty minutes, while whole farro can take forty-five minutes or more and benefits from an overnight soak. I usually reach for semi-pearled, which strikes a good balance between texture and cooking time. Rinse it well, then simmer in salted water until tender but still chewy — you want a little resistance in the center, not mush. Drain it and spread it on a sheet pan to cool slightly so it doesn't steam and clump. While it's still warm, toss it with a little olive oil and lemon juice; the grain absorbs the dressing and gets more flavorful as it sits.

Assembling the Salad

In a large bowl, combine the cooled farro, peas, and a generous handful of torn mint leaves. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, a little Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper, then pour it over and toss gently. Crumble in the feta — I like a chunky crumble rather than a fine one so you get pockets of saltiness throughout. Add some thinly sliced scallions if you have them, and a handful of toasted pistachios for crunch. Taste and adjust: more lemon if it needs brightness, more salt if it tastes flat, more mint if you're like me and can never have enough. Serve at room temperature, or cold from the fridge, with a final drizzle of olive oil and a few whole mint leaves on top.