Fab farro

Have you discovered farro? Or, are you already a long-time fan? It seems all the rage these days, and having loved its chewy, nutty grains for years now, I feel validated as more than a healthy outlier. Though I've seen some folks dispute this (including the author of the article I link to at the end of this post), Harold McGee does not, and I respect him tremendously so will go with his assessment of farro as a member of the wheat family, specifically Emmer wheat or T. turgidum dicoccum. Farro is the Italian word for emmer, and indeed, Italy (specifically Tuscany) is where I first, or most memorably, tasted this wonderful grain which looks like a fat bit of brown rice that itself resembles a miniature pistolette. It's often served on its own, as a base for salads or as an addition to soups, but I've also enjoyed it ground and then made into pasta. Too, you may have heard of farrotto which is like a risotto made with farro rather than rice.

Farro, often called pearled farro, is much more expensive in the U.S. than it is in Italy so I tend to have my sister bring me a solid stash when she comes to visit from Florence (or I schlep a great deal home after a trip east). You prepare it as you would rice, barley or other grains; boiling it simply in water or broth with some salt will suffice perfectly. I believe my favorite way of enjoying it is as a base for a grain salad for then it can really shine.

Tonight, having had a green salad last night and again today for lunch with Ol (salad king of children 4 and under), I wanted a Meatless Monday dish of more substance. My pantry supply of farro still adequate, I decided to boil some while I roasted a celery root and the rest of a head of cauliflower that desperately wanted to exit the crisper drawer. As an aside, roasted celeriac and cauliflower, tossed with olive oil, salt and a bit of cinnamon, make for a fabulous snack and/or addition to pretty much anything. LOVE.

So anyway, while the veggies were roasting, I boiled the farro in vegetable broth until chewy-tender, drained it over some chopped, raw kale (the steam from the former would steam the latter) and then tossed all that with some of the veggies and some freshly crumbled feta. Meal of champions, and a healthy one to boot. I served it alongside a rather large glass (or two) of a crisp, cold albariño and felt satisfied as could be.

If you want to read a bit more, this is a lovely article (though wow, 1997!!).

Irises and flowering shamrocks, turkey cutlets, farro salad

So we had some painters here today because what we thought were a few boards on the house and garage that needed repainting were actually rotten strips of wood just hanging on by a splinter. All repaired and repainted now but damn if those guys didn't trample some of my plants. Why are workers blind to landscaping? The deck guys ravaged a number of my planted loves, and you should just see the sad mess of steam-rolled nettles I'd worked so hard to cultivate and direct now wasting away along the flagstone walk. GRR. At least their trail of damage was minimal and contained. On the flip-side of all that is that the flowering shamrocks I planted for Oliver (born on St. Patty's) are blooming again and the irises my mom has brought up from Louisiana over the years are going gang-busters. This is a true Louisiana blue. Gorgeous, eh? Dinner tonight was super satisfying. I decided to coat the turkey cutlets in mustard, egg and panko and then pan-fry them in a little butter. Delightful! And what to do with the asparagus? I didn't want to roast them as I usually do because I'm bored with that method and wanted something more substantial. Puttering in the pantry, I came across some pearled farro I had my sister bring me from Italy and immediately decided on a grain-based salad. I also saw some dried chanterelle and portobello mushrooms that I keep meaning to use. What about making a mushroom broth in which to cook the farro? Yes!

While I gave the boys their bath and tucked them in, the dried mushrooms steeped in boiling water. I used this stock as the farro cooking liquid and then again as the base in which to cook a mess of leeks and scallions, the asparagus, some tarragon and the now soft mushrooms. A hefty dose of lemon zest, some salt and pepper finished the veggie bit nicely.

The salad had nuttiness and herbal springiness in spades, but I wanted a touch of creaminess and an element of brightness. Into the mix went blue cheese crumbles and chopped apples. T said the final dish reminded him of a reconceived Waldorf. Whatever it was, it was good!