Ancient Grains - Discovering Farro

Though Quinoa has dominated the national food conversation for quite some time, there's an upstart grain that's gaining steady popularity, and though it may seem newly on the scene, Farro is as old as they come. Ancient, in fact. Much of my education on Farro comes from this wonderful article I found on NPR. It was here that I learned that there are really three varieties of Farro, and that their differences are determined by whether or not the bran has been removed. We'll be using the Emmer Variety, which is the most common and best if you're looking for a shorter cook time. Aren't we always? 

Farro Salad With Arugula & Purple Carrots, Photo: NK

Emmer is also known by its Latin name, triticum dicoccum.  

Farro has an especially rich history - it is the grain from which many others sprung, and it served as the primary food of the Roman Legion. You might imagine it to be a pretty special grain if it could nourish an army. Indeed, the health benefits of Farro are many. Preparation-wise, it's just as versatile as rice, and it cooks -and looks- a lot like barley. Your can serve it on its own, add it to soups or toss into salads, as we are about to do today. Especially adept cooks might like to transform it into risotto. 

Purple Carrots, Photo: NK

Our hearty Farro Salad will get a little extra flair from the addition of Purple Carrots, a colorful variety of the more common veggie that I've recently discovered. Like Farro, Purple Carrots go back in time quite a ways themselves. In fact, all carrots were originally purple before being bred to be the orange roots that we recognize today. Why would they ever want to change these beauties? Gorgeous though they may be, this carrot variety is incredibly healthful as well.Their deep purple color is thanks to anthocyanins, the antioxidant compounds responsible for the deep hue of Blueberries and their super nutritious status. 

Peppery Arugula, another nutrient powerhouse, anchors our salad while a bright Orange Vinaigrette offers a subtle punch. Salty Pecorino Romano lends the round note to complete this satisfying melange of flavors. An ideal potluck, picnic dish, or make-ahead lunch, this Farro Salad tastes even better left over once seasonings truly marry. Farro is a sturdy grain, too. Make it ahead and it will keep its texture and pleasant chewiness until you're down to the last bite. Enjoy! 

Farro & Arugula Salad With Purple Carrots 
Serves 4 

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Water
3/4 Cup Farro, the triticum dicoccum variety, optionally soaked a few hours and then rinsed 
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 large Purple or traditional Orange Carrots, peeled and diced 
1 small bunch of Arugula cut into thin ribbons and roughly chopped
1-2 ounces Pecorino Romano Cheese cut into thin shards and crumbled 
For the dressing:
1.5 teaspoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Orange Juice
Salt and Pepper to taste 

Method: 
1. Combine the Farro and Water in a medium saucepan and add the Kosher Salt. Bring to a boil over a high flame. Reduce heat to a medium flame and simmer, covered, for about thirty minutes. Set Farro aside and allow to cool a bit.

2. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. 

3. Toss the Farro with the Arugula, diced Carrots, and Pecorino Cheese. Slowly pour the dressing over, tossing gently until well incorporated. Ideally, allow this to sit at least a half hour. If you need to serve it right away that's ok too. Taste for Salt and add a few turns of freshly ground Pepper. Serve and enjoy!

Sweet Treat - Pumpkin Coffee Cake With Pecan Streusel

A recipe success - Williams Sonoma Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Photo: NK

We're doing it! More pumpkin-infused treats. This week, we tested out a scrumptious looking Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel recipe from Williams Sonoma. 

I was recently reminded of the joys of coffee cake when my Mom-in-Law brought us an Entenmann's from the supermarket. I hadn't had one in at least ten years, and though we all agreed that the cake, like many packaged foods, looked much smaller than we remembered, the taste was still pretty great. It was probably on my third trip to the kitchen to surreptitiously siphon off another sliver that I realized that I was obsessed. Why? The salty, buttery, crumbly streusel topping. 

Could I recreate this sort of goodness at home and would pumpkin have a place in the mix? Turns out, yes! Not only was the Williams Sonoma recipe easy, even considering that baking is not my strong suit, but the addition of canned Pumpkin worked very well. 

If you are looking for a quick baked good to bring to Thanksgiving, or even something for your post-turkey coma brunch, this cake would be a great choice. I didn't alter the recipe at all except that for the streusel, I subbed in Salted Butter because for me, the salty-sweet quality of Coffee Cake's crumb topping is what makes it sublime. Enjoy with or without your next cup of joe! 

Pumpkin Coffee Cake With Brown Sugar-Pecan Sugar by Williams Sonoma 
Click HERE for the Recipe 

Prepping the Pumpkin batter in a springform pan
Photo:NK

The delectable Pecan Streusel Topping, Photo: NK

In Season - Kale & Apple Salad With Dates & Pecorino

Apple Picking at Seven Ponds Orchard, Watermill, NY Photo: NK 

I renew my love for Kale around this time each year. I think it's the chill in the air that gets my mind wandering to heartier, darker veggies. However, the inspiration for today's salad actually came from another kind of in-season produce - the gorgeous Apples we picked last weekend out on Long Island's Seven Ponds Orchard.

Sweet red Apples, so delicious this season, and bitter Kale, are really natural companions. We'll combine them today into one very well rounded salad. Dried Dates add a note of honey and Pecorino Romano Cheese provides the salty counterpoint. This superfood salad also travels well and does not get soggy overnight (thanks to Kale's sturdy leaves) It's great to pack as a lunch or if you need a make ahead dish for a potluck. For more ideas from our Kale archives check out Kale & Coconut Salad With Garnet Yams, Kale & Parsnip Panzanella, Kale & Turnip Salad With Honey Lemon Vinaigrette. 

 Now let's get to it. 

Kale & Apple Salad With Dates & Pecorino, Photo: NK 

Kale & Apple Salad With Dates & Pecorino
Serves 6-8

Fresh Picked Macoun Apples, Photo: NK

Ingredients:
1 Head of Curly Kale, ribs removed and discarded, leaves cut into thin ribbons
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice (plus a bit more) 
1/4 Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Honey, Maple Syrup, or Agave
1/4 of a small, sweet White Onion, thinly sliced, or one Shallot thinly sliced
1 small Red Apple or 1/2 a large Red Apple, cored & thinly sliced 
3 Ounces of Pecorino Romano Cheese, diced
5 Dried Dates, diced 
Salt to taste

Method:

Photo: NK 

1. Combine Kale in a bowl and toss with Lemon Juice and Olive Oil. Toss very well and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, tossing several times. 

2. Add the Honey and toss again. Next, add the Onion, Dates and Pecorino Cheese. Sprinkle a little Lemon Juice on the sliced Apples and then add them to the salad. 

3. Combine again and taste for Salt. Add a few dashes to taste if needed. 


Serve and enjoy! 

Summery Side - Israeli Couscous with Scallions & Dried Cherries

Around this time each year, I get to thinking about new ways to zhush up an old favorite in our house - Couscous. Couscous is our standby summer side because it's a wonderful make-ahead dish that tastes great at room temperature and lends itself to all kinds of creativity. 

Israeli Couscous with Scallions & Dried Cherries, Photo:NK

I love that it feeds a crowd, and with the right accoutrements, I find it far and away more exciting than your everyday traditional pasta salad. 

With all those barbecues and summer parties around the corner (we'll tell you about our Memorial Day celebration very soon), you can never have too many ideas for potluck dishes. 

As far as types of couscous go, we strongly prefer Pearl Couscous, also known as Israeli. This larger variety holds up really well and just feels a bit more stick-to-your-ribs than its smaller-grained cousin (I should mention that "regular" cous cous is actually more a grain - semolina to be exact - than a pasta, per se). For more ideas and info, check out last year's special Couscous recipe HERE. 

I hope you'll also stick around for today's latest colorful twist on this scrumptious side. I used dried cherries and lots of scallions to create a tart and savory dish that ended up being quite satisfying (with tons leftover for later in the week). It also made a welcome accompaniment to my the tasty roast beef dinner my husband cooked up for me. 

Israeli Couscous with Scallions & Dried Cherries, Photo: NK

Here's how to make it:

Israeli Couscous With Scallions & Dried Cherries 

Serves 5-6

Ingredients:

2 Cups Dried Pearl aka Israeli Couscous (approx. an 8.8 oz box)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided

2.5 Cups Free Range Organic Chicken Broth (or Vegetable Broth)

3 Ounces Dried Cherries, finely chopped

4 Whole Scallions, both white and green parts, thin sliced

1 Large Clove Garlic, finely minced

Lemon Juice, 3 squeezes - optional

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Lots of Black Pepper

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, toast the Couscous by swirling one Tablespoon Olive Oil in the bottom of the pan over medium heat. Add the dried Couscous and stir fairly constantly until the grains begin to become slightly golden but not black. This should take 2 or 3

Fast to prepare and feeds a crowd, Photo: NK

minutes but watch it closely to avoid burning. Pour the toasted Couscous into a bowl and set aside. Toasting brings out more flavor and makes the small, round pearls even more visually appealing. 

2. In the same large saucepan, bring Broth to a boil and add the Couscous. Turn flame down to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until Couscous is cooked through and the liquids have disappeared. Ideally it should still have some bite to it, and be somewhat al dente. 

3. Now add minced Garlic and remove from the heat. Place in the refrigerator to chill. This can be done a day in advance. 

4. When ready to finish, stir in the Scallions, Dried Cherries, three squeezes of Lemon Juice and the remaining Tablespoon of Olive Oil. Give it a good stir. Add the Salt a quarter teaspoon at a time so you can adjust it to your taste. Finish with ample Black Pepper. Stir again and store in the fridge until ready to serve. This will keep well overnight and for several days after. The flavors should have time to blend before serving as the definitely get better and better with time.

Enjoy! 

A Family Affair - Potluck Easter

They say that many hands make light work. "They" would be right. With the weather steadily warming and the first buds appearing on the trees, the mood seemed right for a more casual and stress-free Easter holiday - a celebration requiring less fuss in the kitchen, and leaving more time for enjoying the outdoors. When you're looking to keep it simple, a potluck holiday is a great solution. I hope you enjoy our Easter 2014 recap. A good time (and a great meal) was had by all!

To start, a light and springy appetizer platter that we enjoyed al fresco:

Crostini with Fresh Ricotta, Sautéed & Fresh Ramps, and Pistachios
Photo: NK

Now for the How To:

Spring Crostini, Photo NK

Spring Crostini Platter
Serves 6 as a light appetizer

1 good quality crusty Baguette:
Slice it into 1/3 inch thick slices, brush with Olive Oil and a sprinkle of Coarse Salt and grill until some char marks appear. 

1 bunch of Ramps: 
Half of them chopped into 1/2 in pieces and sautéed in a little bit of olive oil before being finished with a sprinkle of salt. Slice some of the remainder of the uncooked ramps into 1/4 inch pieces, and set aside several whole ramps for a beautiful, edible garnish.

8 Oz fine quality homemade or store-bought Ricotta Cheese 
(we chose the amazing whole milk Ricotta Salvatore BKLYN via Freshdirect. (It's Martha Stewart's favorite!) Drizzle the Ricotta with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Coarse Salt and some Black Pepper.

Finely Chopped Pistachios 
Fresh Grated Parmigiana Cheese Curls
Fine Quality Fig Balsamic Vinegar or Balsamic Reduction
Honey or Truffle Honey 

To Serve: simply put it all together and let your guests assemble their own crostini! It's helpful to show a few example toasts to get them started. Voila!

Let's move on to the big Easter Feast:

All hands on deck for a delicious Easter feast, Photo: NK

Potluck Easter "Credits" & Recipes 

Ina Garten's Roasted Fennel with Parmesan, center front - by yours truly.  Recipe HERE
Minted Peas, middle (cooked with a bit of mint jelly & a dollop of salted butter),by mom.
Mashed Turnips, center left, heated with butter & some cinnamon, from Southland
Cranberry, bottom right - straight from the can, baby. 
Waldorf Salad, top left, delicious, crunchy & refreshing - by my mom-in-law. Recipe HERE
Stuffed Pork Loin with Cheese & Herbs, top right, from La Torre Pork Store of Brooklyn,cooked by mom.
Apple Sauce, top right, from the jar. 
Stuffing with Sausage, Pecans, and Green Apples, middle top, by mom. 
Creamy Horseradish Potato Salad, top left, by my sis-in-law. Recipe HERE

Bunny Cake & Easter Bread, Photo: NK

Potluck Easter may have been comparatively easy, but there was one of us who did do some majorly involved baking and prep work, and boy did it pay off. 

My sister-in-law Marjie's long awaited and UBER adorable "Bunny Butt Cake" made for the the most wonderfully whimsical and tasty dessert. Because sometimes, you're just in the mood for an adorable rabbit tush on your table. How cute is this cake?? Click HERE for the Betty Crocker Recipe. A clever and perfect execution resulted in a cake that went along great with the Italian Easter Bread that my mom-in-law brought us.

Thanks again to everyone for a great meal.



Until next year!