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!

Bring The Steakhouse To Your House - Real Wedge Salad

Around our house, a decadent night on the town might very well include a visit to a great steakhouse. We can only justify such indulgence once or twice a year, but when we do, our favorite destinations include Peter Luger in Brooklyn and Keen's in midtown Manhattan. A good porterhouse with all the accoutrements and well made cocktail (usually an Old Fashioned or a Dirty Martini) is pretty much our idea of heaven. The Iceberg Wedge Salad is one of those classic steakhouse sides (much like the Tomato and Onion Salad from our last post), and frankly, whomever first thought up this dish was something of a genius. 

A Steakhouse Classic: Real Iceberg Wedge Salad, Photo: NK

Take a lowly head of Iceberg Lettuce and add some Blue Cheese and Bacon, and boom - you have a salad that costs a few dollars to make that finer restaurants can charge 15 bucks for! But oh, it really is delicious - something that's totally greater than the sum of its parts. That's precisely why when steak night rolled around at our house, we new we'd up the ante by recreating the Wedge at home. Our version definitely hit the spot and we succeeded in bringing that special night out feel to our home cooked meal. You can too, and it only takes minutes! Enjoy! 


Classic Wedge Salad With Bacon & Blue Cheese
Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine
Serves 4 

Ingredients: 
1 large head of Iceberg Lettuce, outer leaves peeled off and discarded 
1/2 Cup Fat Free or Regular Sour Cream
1 small Shallot, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped Chives plus more for garnish
1/3 Cup Buttermilk 
2 teaspoons White Wine Vinegar
4 Ounces Mild Blue Cheese, crumbled
8 slices Thick Cut Organic Bacon (we like Coleman brand), cut into bite-sized bits 
Sea Salt 
Black Pepper 
Optional Garnish of Parsley

Method:
1. Cut the head of Lettuce into equal fourths and place each on a serving plate.

2. In a medium bowl, combine Sour Cream, Chives, Shallot, Buttermilk, Vinegar and about 3 ounces of the Blue Cheese (reserving an ounce for sprinkling on top of the salads later). Mash the Blue Cheese into the dressing mixture. If you prefer a thinner consistency add extra Buttermilk teaspoon by teaspoon. Taste and add Salt and Pepper as desired (remember that Bacon will add a bit of saltiness). 

3. To serve, drizzle each portion with Dressing, sprinkle with some extra Chives, and scatter with 1/4 of the Bacon pieces. Serve and 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!

Italy Inspired Side - Easy Marinated Eggplant

Capitoline Hill, Rome, Photo: NK 

If you're wondering why there was no post last week, it's because I've been across the pond. In fact, my husband and I just got back from an amazing family trip to Italy with our moms.  

And what a time we had. 

Though it was my second visit to the country of my ancestral origin (read some impressions from my maiden trip HERE), it was just my first time in Rome and the Amalfi Coast area. 

Before I left, a friend of mine who, unlike myself, happens to be first generation Italian, enthusiastically advised the following about my impending culinary (and cultural) adventure: 

"eat ALL sorts of vegetables and vegetable dishes, including the 'strange' ones - which really are normal but I put them in quotes anyway. Puntarelle with Acciunghe (Bitter Greens with Anchovies), Roman Style Artichokes (Carciofi alla Romana), Radicchio, Cicoria (Chicory)...AGAIN, all vegetables." 

I know from my own family that Italians really do have a way with vegetables. They just seem to know how to make them delicious, and the meat-free dishes we had in Italy did not disappoint. For as long as I can remember, many of the less universally loved veggies that Italians embrace have been those I count among my favorites --  Broccoli Rabe, Artichokes, and Dandelion Greens, to name just a few. Not so foreign but ever-popular in Italian and Italian American households is the Eggplant, and this humble, purple guy shall be today's vegetable muse. 

Easy Marinated Eggplant, Photo: NK 

Today's side dish is a recreation of the stellar Marinated Eggplant that we recently enjoyed at a restaurant called Nino nearby to Rome's Spanish Steps. 

Rome, Photo: NK 

If you like spicy, lemony, and tender Eggplant, then this recipe is for you. Better yet, you will find it incredibly easy. As a bonus, our dish doesn't require you to go through the usual step of drawing out the Eggplant's natural moisture by sprinkling it with salt and letting it sit (although that's not a big deal to do if you have 20 or 30 minutes extra to spare).

Overall, you'll spend just 20 minutes for prep and active time, followed by at least 2 hours of marinating time. Easy Marinated Eggplant makes a great, bold side dish and it even gets better with age. Store the finished product in the refrigerator up to a few days and bring to room temperature before serving. Jar it up for a great hostess gift too. Finally, you could even place any leftovers in a food processor and roughly chop them for a nice Eggplant Spread that would be perfect to top some warm, crusty Italian bread. Mmmmm mmm. Now where is my wine?! 

I'm currently putting the finishing touches on our Italian Vacation Culinary Roundup, so rest assured that there will be many more dishes to explore soon! See you then, and in the meantime, buon appetito! 

Easy Marinated Eggplant                    

Adapted from The Purple Foodie
Serves 3-4 as a side dish

Ingredients: 

2 Large Cloves of Garlic, crushed

1 Large Eggplant, 1-1.5 Lbs total

4 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus more for brushing the Eggplant

1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1 heaping teaspoon Dried Marjoram (or 1/2 a teaspoon of Oregano)

3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice 

Photo: NK

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt 

+ Extra Salt and Pepper for sprinkling.

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425. Slice Eggplant into 1/4 - 1/3 inch thick rounds and slice again in thirds (or halves, depending on the width of the Eggplant) as pictured. 

2. Heat the 4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil and 2 Cloves of Garlic in a small pan until fragrant and the Garlic begins to turn golden, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside. 

3. Next, lay the Eggplant slices in one layer over a roasting pan (you may need more than one pan).

4. Using a pastry brush, paint the top of the Eggplant with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Sprinkle with a bit of Salt and Pepper. 

5. Roast the Eggplant for 15 minutes until tender. 
Allow to cool a bit.

6. Stir all the remaining Marinade ingredients into the Olive Oil and Garlic Mixture (Marjoram, Lemon Juice, 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, and 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper). Stir to combine. 

7. Mix together the Marinade and the Eggplant in a bowl and allow to sit at least two hours or more in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving. 
Cook's Note *** I like to drain off some of the oil and blot the Eggplant a bit with paper towel before serving this side dish. Enjoy!