Photo: Rachel Nadeau
Cooking with Dan.
This article originally appeared as part of the story Cooking with Dan in the March 2019 issue.
While Dan Greer can’t pinpoint his specific culinary style, he tends to incorporate fresh ingredients that celebrate the changing seasons. He jokes that, because he likes to eat heartier in the winter, “I could be 500 pounds by March!” So he reins in the empty calories by selecting grains that are high in protein and fiber. “Farro is a great grain—it fills you up, but it’s healthy.” Here’s a farro-forward meal Greer recommends for getting through the last weeks of winter on a lighter note.
Lemon-glazed Salmon
- 4 6-oz. wild-caught salmon filets
- 1/2 cups honey
- 3/4 cup white wine
- 2 tsp. lemon zest, grated
- 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 425° F. Combine the honey, wine, zest, juice and ginger in a small saucepan, and simmer over moderate heat until reduced in volume by about half (about five minutes). Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Place the salmon, skin down, on a baking sheet. Brush the glaze over the salmon, and bake three minutes before basting again. Repeat every three minutes until it’s firm to the touch (about 10 minutes total). Turn the oven up, and broil until the glaze begins to caramelize.
Spring Vegetable Farro Salad with Lemon-thyme Vinaigrette
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 red onion
- 1 lb. asparagus
- 3 Tbsp. sliced almonds
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cups farro, cooked
- Vinaigrette
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. cracked black pepper
- ½ cup high-quality olive oil
Slice the zucchini and onion into half-inch slices, and cut off the hard asparagus ends. Rub the veggies with olive oil, and grill or bake at 425° F until tender. Cut the vegetables into bite-size chunks. Place the farro and vegetables into a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the vinaigrette ingredients until combined. Add the vinaigrette to the salad mixture, and stir. Plate it up with a salmon filet resting on top.
