I'm not sure what it's like in the world outside of my LA bubble, but grains are the new trend. Last year it was bacon, the year before that it was lavender and rosewater, and this year it is grain (and pistachios, incidentally). You can tell a food trend has taken off when you can't throw a fork without hitting it. Bacon was in my chocolate bars, my muffins, my soup, my ice cream, it was everywhere but the breakfast table. Now, this isn't exactly a bad thing. Bacon is without a doubt awesome. And if there's a trend that's expanding peoples' palettes and pushing them to think about food in a new way, so much the better. But I still can't help but feel that I was forced to turn in my fork and knife, and my "insider" badge was ripped from my foodie uniform. Luckily I haven't grown so pretentious that I say things like "I was sooo into Bacon before Ed Levine," or I'm desperately trying to make non-trend items stick (Pig's feet! They will be the next hot ingredient, mark my words!), and I know I never had any ownership over bacon in non-savory applications, or dowsing my desserts in rosewater, but it was k ind of cool for a moment to feel like a food hipster. Fortunately, I love food too much to let my ego get in the way of my eating. So I bring you two recipes of my favorite grain, farro. It has a pasta-like toothsome bite, a nutty flavor, and is delicious in everything. It's no surprise my favorite eateries all serve it on their lunchtime menu. I also heard that the Roman troops where practically raised on the stuff, and what's good for Mars is good for me!
Ingredients:
2 cups farro, uncooked
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bunch sweet basil, julienned
1 pint bocconici, halved
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Soak the farro overnight in water. Drain, put in a pot and cover with 6 cups of water and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high, cover and turn down to a simmer for 15 minutes. Check the farro. It won't soak up the water, so taste for consistency. You want it to be soft with a bit of bite, like pasta. I made the mistake of waiting until the farro absorbed all of the water and got a giant ball of goo. Once it's cooked, drain the farro well and place in a large bowl. Toss in the tomatoes, bocconici, lemon zest and basil. Mix lightly. Drizzle in half the olive oil and balsamic, plus some salt and pepper. Mix and taste. I like mine with a good amount of each, but taste along the way to make sure you don't over do it for your palette. Pop in the fridge and you're done.
FARRO SALAD WITH BRAISED LEEKS
FARRO SALAD WITH BRAISED LEEKS
Ingredients:
2 cups farro, uncooked
4 smallish leeks
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano, finely chopped
1/2 cup Dry White Wine (I used a lighter bodied Chardonnay)
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse out thoroughly. Leeks can be very sandy, so be sure to get all of the layers. Pat them dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the leeks cut side down, searing them for a few minutes, until they get a nice golden brown sheen to them. Flip them on their backs and cook them until golden brown on that side too. Place them in an casserole dish (any dish that can go in the oven) and set aside. Add the rest of the olive oil to the saute pan and cook the shallots and herbs with a pinch of salt and pepper until soft and just starting to brown. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Pour the hot mixture over leeks and braise for 25 minutes, or until fall apart tender.
While the leeks are cooking, prepare the farro. Soak the farro overnight in water. Drain, put in a pot and cover with 6 cups of water and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high, cover and turn down to a simmer for 15 minutes. Check the farro. It won't soak up the water, so taste for consistency. You want it to be soft with a bit of bite, like pasta. Once it's cooked, drain the farro well and place in a large bowl. When the leeks are cooked and slightly cooled, chop them up into 1/4 inch slices. Mix the leeks and their juices in the farro. Salt to taste. Enjoy!
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