An OSR Original Recipe

Seasoned Farro with Florets, Feta & Figs

The flavor of this dish is phenomenal, but you might find that you also like it (and make it regularly) for its health benefits. It’s loaded with a ton of fiber-rich ingredients, antioxidants, and healthy fats—like a rocket-booster for your metabolism and mood. If making the farro is intimidating to you, just remember to treat it like pasta (not rice). I must credit Rick Martinez at Bon Appétit for this simple prep explanation—totally changed my approach and the consistency of my farro-making results.


OSR Recipe: Farro with Florets, Feta & Figs
Active Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook/Set Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Primary Course: Side Dish
Primary Cuisine: Mediterranean
Serves/Makes: 4 to 6
Ingredients
  • 1/2 tbsp. butter
  • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 1.5 tsp. kosher or flake sea salt, divided
  • 3/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 c. pearled or semi-pearled farro (see TIP A below), rinsed and uncooked
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 c. low-sodium vegetable broth (avoid vegetable stock or mushroom-based broth, see TIP B below)
  • 2 c. cauliflower or broccoli florets, small cut
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 6-7 dried black mission figs, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 c. chopped fresh mint
  • 3-4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 c. roasted, salted pistachio meats chopped (optional)
  • 1 tsp. honey (optional)
Instructions
One: Cook Farro in Seasoned Broth:
  1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped shallot or onion, cardamom pods, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, coriander, and cinnamon. Stir and let cook for 2-3 minutes until shallot or onion softens slightly. Then add farro (be sure to rinse it thoroughly beforehand) and bay leaf and stir to coat with butter and seasonings. Let farro toast 2-3 minutes over medium heat before adding the vegetable broth. Bring broth to a vigorous boil, then reduce heat to medium-low to keep it at a gentle boil until farro cooks through (approximately 18-20 minutes for semi-pearled, see TIP A for more detail). Cooked farro should be tender and chewy, like al dente pasta (not mushy). It will not absorb all of the broth, so be sure to check it periodically much like you would when cooking pasta.

Two: Roast Cauliflower or Broccoli Florets:
  1. While farro is cooking, put cauliflower or broccoli florets in a mound at the center of a medium baking sheet. Pour olive oil and 1/4 tsp. salt over florets and toss to coat. Spread florets in an even layer across the baking sheet and roast in a pre-heated 425° oven for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender.
Three: Drain Farro and Combine with Florets, Figs, Feta & Mint:
  1. Once the farro is done cooking, drain the excess broth and remove and discard the 4 cardamom pods and bay leaf. You may want to pour the entire contents into a mesh sieve to let the broth fully drain (do not rinse). In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained farro-shallot (or onion) mixture, roasted florets, figs, mint, and feta. Stir until just combined. Taste and add the remaining 1/2 tsp. kosher or flake sea salt and 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper if needed.
Four: Finish & Serve:
  1. Transfer the combined ingredients to a serving platter or bowl and top with avocado slices, chopped pistachio meats (if using), and honey drizzle (if using). Serve warm.
Tips

TIP A: Pearled and semi-pearled farro are the most common varieties found in grocery stores today because they keep longer and cook faster. "Pearling" simply means that the grains were polished to remove or partially remove the outer bran layer that tends to turn rancid a lot earlier than the rest of grain. Here's the troubling part...the bran layer is very nutrient-rich. In fact, pearled or semi-pearled farro is not technically a whole grain because this outer bran layer has been removed. But, don't fret! With farro (and barley too) nutrients are actually distributed more evenly throughout the grain—more so than other grain types. So when the farro bran is polished or partially polished away, a lot of healthy nutrients still remain. Bottom line, pearled and semi-pearled farro are still nutrient-rich and much better for you than many other processed grain choices. I often opt for semi-pearled farro (or "scratched" as it is sometimes described) which has some of the bran remaining and cooks in about 20-25 minutes. If you go with whole grain farro, just be sure to adjust your cooking time (usually double).

 

TIP B: You might have heard that the difference between a broth and stock is that a stock is prepared with the bones, whereas a broth is not. This is sometimes true, but not always the case...and certainly not the case when it comes to vegetable stock! So, what's the difference? Technically, I believe the difference is in how the products are used. A stock is used to make something else like a sauce, gravy, or puréed soup, while a broth can be consumed as a finished product. In appearance, I find that stocks are richer in color and thicker in consistency. When it comes to vegetable-only based varieties, often vegetable stock will have a high mushroom content to give it a deeper color. This is great if you want a mushroom-forward flavor. It's not so great if you don't! I almost always use vegetable broth (and check the label to ensure that it does not contain mushrooms) because I want a more neutral, seasoned flavor. Mushrooms—particularly if they are listed as one of the first few ingredients in the ingredient line—can be really over-powering and change the intended flavor of your dish.

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