Farro With Kale Food

FARRO & KALE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide Dutch oven, and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the farro, and mix for a couple of minutes. Add the white wine, and stir until it has reduced by half. Add the stock and/or water and salt, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat, stir in the kale, cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until the farro is tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle a little feta over each serving if desired.

FARRO AND KALE SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• To cook the farro, in a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed farro with at least three cups water (enough water to cover the farro by a couple of inches). Add the salt, bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the farro is tender to the bite but still pleasantly chewy. (Pearled farro will take around 15 minutes; unprocessed farro will take 25 to 40 minutes.) Drain off the excess water and set aside.
• Meanwhile, place the chopped kale in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle it with a few dashes of salt and massage it with your hands by scrunching up large handfuls at a time until it's darker and more fragrant (this makes the kale taste less bitter and makes it easier to eat). Set aside.
• To toast the almonds, pour them into a small skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently (careful, they can burn), until the almonds are fragrant and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour the almonds into the bowl of massaged kale.
• To prepare the vinaigrette, simply whisk the ingredients together in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Set aside.
• Once the farro has been cooked and drained, stir in the chopped dried cherries (so they have a chance to plump up a bit) and vinaigrette (the heat will temper the garlic a bit).
• Once the farro has cooled down to room temperature or close to it, stir it into the kale mixture. Gently crumble most of the goat cheese into the salad and lightly stir. Taste, and if the salad doesn't taste amazing yet, stir in more vinegar by the teaspoon until it does.
• Crumble the remaining goat cheese on top of the salad. Serve promptly, or refrigerate for later. This salad keeps well for four to five days in the refrigerator, covered.

MELTED KALE WITH FARRO

Steps:

• Bring large saucepan of salted water to boil. Cook semi-pearled farro until tender but still firm to bite, about 13 minutes. Drain farro and cool.
• Cook kale in large pot of boiling salted water 1 minute. Drain. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. Squeeze out excess water. Coarsely chop kale.
• Heat oil in large heavy saucepan over medium heat; add shallots and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add cooked chopped kale. Increase heat to high and sauté 2 minutes. Add 4 cups broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until kale is tender and almost all broth is absorbed, stirring often, about 25 minutes. Transfer kale mixture to processor; puree 1 minute. Return puree to same saucepan. Mix in farro. Add 1/2 cup broth. Season with salt and pepper. Thin kale and farro with more broth, if desired. Stir in chives.
• Available at specialty foods stores, natural foods stores, and Italian markets. Farro perlato can also be found online at www.gustiamo.com.

FARRO AND KALE SALAD

Steps:

• Put the walnuts in a small, heavy-bottomed skillet over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on a small baking sheet.
• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the shallot and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the shallots have softened and are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the farro and toast in the olive oil, stirring often, for about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in 2 cups water, the oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the farro is cooked through and tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the oregano sprigs, drain the farro, and set aside.
• Whisk together the lemon juice, orange juice, remaining 1/3 cup olive oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the warm farro and toss to coat. Add the kale, cherries, cucumber and walnuts and toss to combine. Crumble in the goat cheese, toss gently just to mix and serve.

FARRO WITH KALE AND CHICK PEAS

Steps:

• Strip the kale off its stems and tear into bite-sized pieces. Wash and drain.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add the kale, a handful at a time, stirring until it is wilted.
• Once all the kale is wilted, add the garlic and pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant.
• Add the chicken broth and stir well. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Check periodically during this time to make sure that the kale does not burn to the bottom of the pan - this can happen if the heat is too high.
• Add in the chick peas and the farro, and stir over medium heat until the mixture is heated through.
• Add the parmesan and pepper and stir well. Taste, and add salt if needed.