Working long hours in a restaurant for as long as I have forces me to appreciate my time off.
I carefully calculate every minute I can take to enjoy my life. It is not unusual to find me at a gourmet shop with my wife, buying good cheese and bread to savour on a park bench by the lake while watching the world run around us for an hour or two.
One of the ways I turn myself off from work - and my biggest joy - is to pack the car and go for a picnic with my family.
Whenever I embark on such an outing, I plan a menu for the day. At lunch we stay light with carefully selected cold salads, then we fire up the barbecue for dinner. (Believe it or not, I too love hot dogs and burgers and sometimes a well-chosen steak.)
Chef Massimo Capra and his farro salad with summer veggies. (Tibor Kolley/The Globe and Mail)
Videos
Related Articles
Some of my favourite summer meals, though, are simple cold salads and local fruit. It's easy to assume that salad means lettuce or greens, but there is an incredible variety of grains, vegetables and beans that can contribute to delicious and nutritious creations.
Grains such as farro and wheat berry are hard and need to cook for a long time - up to 45 minutes in boiling water if they haven't been pre-soaked. Others such as bulgur are precooked and only need to soak in hot water for a few minutes to soften.
The following recipe, a favourite for hot summer days, is simple and can be expanded easily.
Farro is an ancient grain, also known as Emmer wheat, that was cultivated around the Mediterranean basin for thousands of years and is famous for being one of the Roman army's standard foods.
Today it is used in gourmet recipes from polenta to pasta to desserts, and is regaining popularity among chefs and health-conscious eaters because it has not yet been genetically modified, and it is low in calories and rich in fibre, vitamins and protein.
Farro can be whole-grain or ground. Before cooking it needs to be soaked for a day in cold water. Then boil it in water lightly seasoned with salt or vegetables such as carrots, onions or celery; rest it in the pot before draining.
Be sure to cook farro thoroughly. Do not cook it al dente if you plan to eat it cold because, just like any other grain, it becomes tougher as it cools. Dress it while still warm so the flavours will penetrate the grains and prevent toughening.
This salad can be made one or two days in advance, but add the tomatoes just before you eat it for a fresher taste and texture. And feel free to experiment by adding whatever ingredients you enjoy.
FARRO SALAD WITH TOMATO, CORN, BASIL AND PECORINO
WHAT YOU NEED
1 cup farro (or grain of your choice)
Salt, to taste
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups French beans, parboiled and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 cups peaches-and-cream corn kernels, cooked
1 cup black olives (Infornate preferably), coarsely chopped
1 bunch basil leaves, chopped
1 bunch Italian parsley leaves, chopped
Black pepper, to taste
2 cups ripe multicoloured
tomatoes
1 cup soft pecorino cheese, grated
WHAT YOU DO
Presoak the farro in cold water and let stand at room temperature overnight.
Drain the farro, add fresh water and boil until the grains are tender. This should take about 20 minutes. Turn the stove off and let the farro sit in the water for about five to 10 minutes.
Drain and immediately season with salt, red wine vinegar and olive oil. This will allow the farro to absorb all the flavours.
Once the farro has completely cooled, add the beans, corn, olives, basil and parsley and season with salt and black pepper. Add more olive oil and vinegar, according to your taste.
Just before serving, chop the tomatoes and add them along with the cheese. Mix well and serve.
Serves 8 to 10.
Massimo Capra is chef and
co-owner of Mistura Restaurant and Sopra Upper Lounge in Toronto, and guest chef on the show
Restaurant Makeover.Beppi's wine matches
Look for crisp, neutral whites with little or no oak aging. Good choices include almost any chardonnay from Italy (they're usually unoaked), albarino or Gavi, such as the excellent Michele Chiarlo Gavi (about $20). Bargain choices include Soave, verdicchio and trebbiano d'Abruzzo.
Among reds, look for styles with plentiful acidity such as Beaujolais, young Chianti or barbera. An excellent choice: Michele Chiarlo Barbera d'Asti Le Orme (about $17). For a bargain, try montepulciano d'Abruzzo, a style that generally costs less than $10.
118
