Farro Salad with Asparagus and Parmesan

1 . Stage

Soak farro in a large bowl of water for at least 12 hours. Drain.

2 . Stage

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, stir in drained farro and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, then cook farro uncovered, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue simmering until tender, about 30 more minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

3 . Stage

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once asparagus is cold, drain well, and chop. Set aside.

4 . Stage

Place farro, asparagus, tomatoes, walnuts, cranberries, parsley, and chives in a large bowl. Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over and sprinkle about 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese; toss. Top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Serve at room temperature.