Fabulous Farro

3/2/10

The Creation:

Risotto-Style Spinach and Chicken Farro

What's in the fridge:

sauteed spinach

shredded chicken

lamb stock

rabbit stock

old red wine

1/2 lime

Key ingredients consumed:

sauteed spinach

shredded chicken

lamb stock

old red wine

Ingredients purchased:

None!

The Creative Process:

Farro is my favorite grain. EVER. I like to use it in place of Arborio rice to make risotto--you'll hear people say that you can't achieve risotto's signature, coveted creamy consistency using farro... but those people just aren't using enough cheese. Duh. Plus farro is brown, which makes me feel healthier when I'm eating it.

Just like risotto, heat up a good amount of stock. In a separate pan, throw some olive oil and what looks like a good amount of farro over medium-high heat. Stir it around until it browns a touch, then jot in a splash of wine. After it's reduced/cooked out a bit, add your other ingredients--pretty much anything you have on hand that would taste good together! I had spinach and shredded chicken, so there you go. Then, add stock--say a cup at a time--letting the stock all soak in/cook out before adding more. When your farro is tender but still quite chewy, and there's a little stock yet to be evaporated, you're almost done. 

Finally, grate a lot of hard cheese (I had asiago!) into the pan and mix it all around--ooh, look how creamy!!

The verdict:

Insanely delicious. I had to tie my hands behind my back to keep from finishing the entire pan--half of which is reserved for my lunch tomorrow. I've made this farr-isotto with mushrooms and duck; fennel and shallots; butternut squash and bacon... never gone wrong. It just may be the perfect leftover solution.