Creamy Farro And Spinach Food

PROSCIUTTO BROTH WITH FARRO AND SPINACH

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine the prosciutto, Parmesan rind, thyme, carrots, celery, garlic, shallots and 7 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 45 minutes, skimming any foam comes to the surface. Strain the broth and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, add the farro and water to cover by 1 inch. Add the salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and simmer until the farro is tender and most of the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Drain off any excess water and set aside.
• In a separate Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 10 minutes. Deglaze with the Marsala. Add the cooked farro and the prosciutto broth, and bring to a simmer. Add the spinach and stir until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve the soup in bowls. Top with Parmesan crisps if using.

CREAMY FARRO

Steps:

• Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer in a stockpot; keep it at a simmer while you prepare the vegetables. Finely dice the yellow onion, carrot, and celery; mince the garlic. In a medium-mesh strainer, rinse the farro under cold running water.
• In a medium Dutch oven or wide sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and gently sauté them. After the vegetables have softened slightly, add the garlic. To release the flavors of the aromatic vegetables, add 1 tablespoon of the white wine vinegar. Stir to release the vegetables from the bottom of the pan (a process called "deglazing"). Add the rinsed farro and stir to incorporate. Add the white wine and cook for a few minutes, until the alcohol evaporates.
• Season the farro with a generous teaspoon of salt. Start adding the hot vegetable stock, about a cup at a time; gently stir the farro until the vegetable stock is completely absorbed and the grains begin to soften. Add another cup of the hot stock and repeat the process until all the stock has been added and the farro is completely cooked.
• Once the farro is creamy and completely cooked, fold in the grated Mahon cheese and stir to combine. Then fold in the cubed butter and add the remaining ½ tablespoon of white wine vinegar; stir to combine. To finish, mince the fresh chives (or fresh thyme, optional) and sprinkle over the top of the dish. Serve immediately.

CHEESY BAKED FARRO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• For the sauce: In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 8 minutes (do not allow the mixture to boil). Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• For the farro: In a large bowl, add the cheeses and stir to combine. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture and reserve. In a large stock pot, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the farro, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the faro is tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, if necessary. Add the farro, thyme, and sauce to the bowl with the cheese. Stir until combined and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the reserved 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake until the top is golden brown and forms a crust, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

LEMONY SPINACH SOUP WITH FARRO

Steps:

• Melt the butter or heat the olive oil in the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the leeks and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, rosemary and bay leaves; cook 1 minute more. Stir in the potatoes, stock, 2 cups water, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer, partly covered, until vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add farro and cook according to the timing on the package until just tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain.
• Discard rosemary branches and bay leaves from the soup pot. Add spinach, cilantro and parsley, and simmer uncovered until very soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Using an immersion blender, purée soup until smooth. (Alternatively, you can purée the soup in batches in a blender or food processor.) If the soup is too thick, add a little water. If it's too thin, let it simmer uncovered for another few minutes to thicken. Stir in lemon juice and more salt to taste. Stir in farro.
• To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice, flaky salt, red-pepper flakes and a little grated cheese, if desired.

CREAMY FARRO WITH CRISPY MUSHROOMS AND SOUR CREAM

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the leeks and half the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and crisped, 12 to 15 minutes. (They will start giving off moisture and steaming a little before this happens, so be patient.)
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a medium bowl leaving any olive oil behind. (They will have absorbed the oil as they cook, and released it back as they crisp.) Add a bit more olive oil so there's another 1/4 cup or so in the pot. Cook the remaining leeks and mushrooms, adding them to the bowl with the other mushrooms.
• Without wiping the pot, add farro and season with salt and pepper. Cook over that same medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until farro is toasted on the outside (it will go from pale golden brown to a toastier golden brown), about 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth and 2 cups water; season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a strong simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until farro is fully cooked and most (but not all) of the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. It should still look a bit loose, like risotto or a porridge. Remove from heat and add half the chives.
• Toss dill, remaining chives and lemon zest together in a small bowl. To serve, season farro with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Top with sour cream, mushrooms and leeks, and dill mixture. Serve lemon wedges alongside for squeezing.

WARM FARRO SPINACH FETA SALAD OR SIDE DISH

Steps:

• Mix olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a bowl and set aside.
• Combine chicken broth and farro together in a large sauce pan or wok; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until farro is tender and the broth is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Stir olive oil mixture into farro until farro is coated. Add spinach to farro mixture; cook and stir until spinach is heated, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle feta cheese over farro and spinach and stir until cheese is incorporated.
• Season with more salt and pepper if desired.