Recipe: Risotto-Style Summer Heirloom Farro

Michel Nischan, author of the cookbook <i>Sustainably Delicious,</i> shares a dish from his perfect Earth Day meal.

Tue, Apr 20 2010 at 3:22 PM

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Healthy Eating, Recipes, Earth Day

COOKING LOCALLY: Use fresh zucchini from your garden or local farmers market. (Photo: jupiterimages)

Chef Michel Nischan encourages people to shop locally to support their communities and local economies. He says his perfect Earth Day meal would feature the following dish — with ingredients fresh from the local farmers market.

Risotto-Style Summer Heirloom Farro

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

8 fresh zucchini blossoms, optional

1 cup uncooked farro (a type of grain)

4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 large zucchini, diced

1-1/2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, sliced

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened but not browned. Add the zucchini blossoms, if using, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 1 minute. Remove the blossoms to a plate and keep warm. Add the farro. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes just to coat with the oil and mix with the onions.

2. Pour the stock into the skillet. Stir the farro and onions. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 40 to 45 minutes, at which time the farro should be tender and the stock evaporated. Add more stock if needed during cooking to keep the farro moist.

3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the zucchini and corn kernels. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the vegetables brown. Add the tomatoes. Cook for about 1 minute to warm through. Add the farro and toss to mix. Add the butter and stir until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Spoon the farro onto each of 8 plates. Garnish each plate with a zucchini blossom.

Yield

Serves 8

Time estimates

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 20 min

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