Farro "Risotto"

I felt like risotto, but also wanted something a little more substantial, which led me to farro, which also felt healthier. I cooked it exactly as I would have cooked a risotto, gradually adding hot broth and stirring until the grain was tender and the whole thing creamy, but the pearled farro retains a pleasant nuttiness and chew that rice does not.

Kale came in my CSA box and seemed an obvious vegetable to add. Feel free to add any leafy green that you might have in the fridge or, an option which I will definiely consider for next time, stir in some oven roasted cabbage at the end. Or, if serving it as a side dish rather than a one dish meal, leave the vegetable out entirely and serve this with roast chicken or some form of pork, and whatever vegetable sides you like with those.

But back to my kale. I cut it into a fine chiffonade and added it with the last of the broth, early enough that it had time to cook rather than simply wilt. A little turmeric added with the onions gives the farro its lovely golden color, while Parmesan and a dollop of sour cream stirred in off the heat provide the creamy finish I was after. Freshly grated nutmeg at the end works particularly well with the kale.

I didn't have any white wine on hand, so used a generous splash of dry vermouth instead. This worked perfectly and, given how much longer an open bottle of vermouth lasts in the refrigerator, is the sort of substitution I am likely to make again. Feel free to use the more traditional white wine instead though.

Makes two servings.

1/3 cup pearled farro

1/2 white onion, finely chopped

1 leek, white and tender green parts only, well washed, cut into thin rounds and then separated into individual circles

1 cup lacinato kale, cut into chiffonade

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, approximately

3 Tbsps finely grated Parmesan, divided

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp dry vermouth or 2 Tbsps dry white wine

1 Tbsp sour cream

1/4 tsp turmeric

Freshly grated nutmeg

Salt to taste

Heat the vegetable broth in a small saucepan and keep it hot over low heat.

Melt the butter in another saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and leek with a little salt and cook gently until soft but not browned. Stir in the turmeric, then add the farro and cook for a minute or two, stirring, so that the grains are well coated in the butter and lightly toasted.

Add the vermouth and stir until it has almost completely cooked away. Begin adding the hot vegetable broth a little at a time, stirring frequently and waiting until each addition has been mostly absorbed before adding more, exactly as you would when making risotto.

Continue cooking this way for about 30 minutes, tasting toward the end. The farro should be tender but still distinctly chewy, and the mixture should remain loose and creamy rather than becoming dry. You may not need all of the broth.

Add the kale with the final addition of broth and continue cooking until the kale is properly tender, rather than merely wilted, and the farro has reached the consistency you want.

Remove from the heat and immediately stir in two tablespoons of the Parmesan, the sour cream and a generous grating of fresh nutmeg. Taste and adjust the salt, bearing in mind that the Parmesan and vegetable broth will already have contributed some.

Divide between two bowls, sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of Parmesan over the top and serve immediately.