Summer farro salad

11⁄2 cups uncooked faro;

6 tablespoons garlicinfused olive oil, divided;

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar;

1 cup shelled fresh fava beans;

2 cups cored, seeded, and finely chopped ripe tomatoes;

1 cup peeled seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced;

1⁄2 cup brine-cured, pitted black olives;

Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste;

1⁄2 cup lightly packed basil leaves, cut crosswise into thin ribbons.

Toss the warm farro with 3 tablespoons of the oil and the vinegar and set aside to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt per cup of water. Add the fava beans and cook for 2 minutes. Immediately transfer into the ice water to stop the cooking and set the color. Drain well and pat dry. If the favas are large and the skin is tough or loose, peel it off and discard, leaving only the tender, bright green inner beans.
Stir the favas, tomatoes, cucumber, and olives and the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil into the farro. Season generously with salt and pepper, plus additional vinegar, if needed. Just before serving, stir in the basil.
Note: If you don’t have a bottle of garlic-infused olive oil on hand, stir together 6 large garlic cloves and 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat until the garlic releases its aroma and turns pale golden, about 15 minutes. Discard the garlic. Use the oil at once and do not store the leftovers.
What else works? You can use shelled and blanched fresh soybeans (edamame) or lightly cooked butter beans or field peas in place of the blanched fava beans.