A new grain.

A few months ago I was introduced to a new grain – farro. Have you ever had it? It. is. delicious. My husband mentioned that his mom made it for a family dinner and that we had to try it as soon as possible. I think we’re now on our third package and I can’t remember the last time I made white rice! Farro has a nutty flavor and something about it feels a lot healthier than rice to me. I feel like it is a much more ‘whole grain’ than using rice or pasta.

Anyways.

I have been trying to experiment with new {and healthy} ways to use this grain in my life. My husband and I are members of a weekly CSA, so we have found ourselves with a lot of kale on our hands this summer.

Mountains of it. Ok, this is a small mountain… only for this recipe. I had originally planned on using arugula but switched to kale when I realized how much I still had in my refrigerator from last week! Here goes:

Lemony Kale Farro 
{Adapted from Chow – Seared Scallops with Lemony Farro and Arugula Salad}

For the farro:
1/2 cup farro
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoons salt

Mix-ins:
1 cup kale, torn into small pieces {with the stems removed}
1/3 cup shredded parmasean cheese
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

I used mini heirloom cherry tomatoes from the CSA – swoon. Summer produce is so pretty.

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 large clove garlic, minced or finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

How to:

• Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the farro and 1/2 teaspoon of  salt, stir to combine, and return to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue simmering, stirring if needed, until the farro is tender, about 25-30 minutes.
• While the farro is simmering, prep the dressing: whisk the remaining salt, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper in a bowl while adding the olive oil. Let this sit on your counter while the farro cooks.
• When the farro is ready {it’s good to go when all the water has been incorporated and it’s “al dente soft” to the bite!} throw in the kale, chopped tomatoes, and dressing. Stir it up a few times and top it with your cheese. Something like this:

As an add-on, I thawed about 3/4 cup of pre-cooked shrimp and stirred it in at the last minute. I let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes to finish warming the shrimp and softening the tomatoes. So tasty. Happy Thursday!