Farro Risotto

                                            

Farro, an ancient grain, like barley, comes in different forms. It is a healthy alternative to rice and pasta. Look for semi-pearled farro, which has some of the outer husk removed. This dish reheats well.

Ingredients:
1 cup farro
1 tsp butter
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
½ cup vegetable or chicken stock or water
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp Watercress Pesto (recipe follows)
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Ingredients: 

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Sprinkle in farro and bring to boil. Boil farro until just tender but still slightly chewy, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.

When ready to serve, heat butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add farro, thyme, and stock, reduce heat to low, cover pan and steam for 10 minutes or until grains are al dente and liquid is absorbed. Scatter with mint and stir in the Watercress Pesto. Season with salt and pepper. Reheat when needed.

Serves 4
Watercress Pesto:

This mixture of watercress and arugula makes a spicy pesto. Use in both the salmon and farro recipes.

2 cups packed watercress leaves
1 cup packed arugula leaves
½ tsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt and freshly ground pepper

Place watercress leaves, arugula leaves, garlic, water, Parmesan and oil in a food processor or blender. Process until leaves are finely chopped. Stir in lemon juice to taste and season with salt and pepper. If the mixture is too thick, thin with some more water.

Makes ⅔ cup pesto.