Farro Risotto

The most challenging part of this wonderful dish...locating the correct farro. Who knew that would be such a scavenger hunt. Tara was able to locate the ten-minute version, but that would be akin to using instant oatmeal when cooking oats were called for.  She was not able to locate pearled or semi pearled as the recipe called for and had to settle for regular. As such, it was a good thing she started the recipe early. She had intended to use the additional 90 minutes to visit with friends before joining up with us at Supper Club. Instead she spent it waiting for the farro to cook. Moral of the story, if you can not locate pearl or semi-pearl farro, give yourself plenty of time. 

This dish was well balanced. As not a huge fan of mushrooms, I was delighted that they were not a huge player in the flavor profile. the butternut squash provided substance without too much sweetness. Tara doubled the recipe and by the end of the evening went home with an empty container. We licked it clean.

Farro Risotto

INGREDIENTS


2½ cups butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sage, chopped
1 cup farro (pearled or semi pearled)
3 tbsp. butter
4 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig thyme
½ cup white wine
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1½ cups shredded parmesan
1 tbsp. crème fraiche

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Toss the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes until the edges are browned and crisp. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle 1 tablespoon sage over the still hot squash.

2. Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over medium heat. Stir in your farro and cook for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and set aside.

3. In a 4 quart pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add in the chopped shiitakes and sauté, about 3 minutes, remove from pan and set aside.

4. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat. Add in the shallots, garlic and thyme. Let cook until the shallots become slightly caramelized, about 3 minutes.

6. Add the farro and stir, coating each kernel with butter. Add in the white wine and let simmer off.

5. Turn the heat down to low and begin alternately adding in the chicken stock and the farro cooking liquid, a ¼ cup at a time, stirring continuously with each addition. Do not add more liquid until the previous ¼ cup has been completely absorbed by the farro. This process should take about 25–30 minutes. After the last addition, stir until about ⅔ of the liquid has been absorbed, and add in the mushrooms and roasted squash.

6. Fold in the cheese and stir until just melted.

7. Fold in the crème fraiche and remaining chopped sage for garnish, season with salt and pepper.

A double batch...and we licked the bowl clean!

Beet and Walnut Salad

This roasted beet and walnut salad was a surprise hit with a slightly sweet flavor enhanced by the crunch of the nuts and the tang of blue cheese. The kids poked at it suspiciously while the adults went back for seconds and thirds. It's the perfect chilled accompaniment to the warm dishes sharing the plate. Just remember to serve with the blue cheese...it wasn't until we were putting the few left overs back in the fridge did we realize we forgot the wedge in there!! And after Anne specifically hunted the cheese shelf for non-crumbly blue cheese for the perfect wedge.

Anne found these beautiful beets at the local food co-op, but this time of year, Farmers Markets are filled with these little gems that are all too often only served pickled.

Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad

INGREDIENTS
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
4 tbsp. red wine vinegar
4 tbsp. walnut oil
12 medium cooled Roasted Beets, peeled and cubed
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
wedges of blue cheese



INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put garlic, vinegar, walnut oil, beets, walnuts, and salt and pepper to taste into a bowl and toss well. (Anne roasted the beets the evening before to ensure they were cooled in time)
2. Serve with wedges of blue cheese on the side.

 

Leek and Potato Soup

This hearty dished warmed up the coldest of nights. With temperatures dipping to record lows in our neck of the woods, we were all happy to have this creamy soup on the menu. While the kids weren't too fond of the chopped chives, the adults all agreed it added just the right amount of zip and texture to a surprisingly low fat soup. The odd bit of this recipe is that is gives you the option of either mashing the vegetables with a fork or passing them through a food mill. This two techniques will results in two vastly different textures. If you like your soup on the chunky side, mash with a fork. If you prefer creamy and smooth, use an immersion blender as Sarah did.

Leek and Potato Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS
3 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced or diced
5 leeks, trimmed, cleaned, then thinly sliced, including the tender green part
Salt
4–6 tbsp. whipping cream
2–3 tbsp. minced fresh parsley or chives


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put potatoes, leeks, salt to taste, and 8 cups of water in a large saucepan over medium heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, 40–50 minutes.

2. Mash vegetables in the soup with a fork, or pass the soup through a food mill. Correct seasoning with salt.

3. Off heat, just before serving, stir in the cream by spoonfuls.

4. Pour soup into a tureen or soup bowls and decorate with the herbs.

5. Add a little freshly ground white pepper, if you like.