Friday, March 13: Spring Veggie Farro with Lemon, Marscapone, and Parm

Tonight was one of those lucky nights where I threw a bunch of ingredients together and came out with one of the BEST meals I’ve ever made. The stars of the show: butter and olive oil; shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes; asparagus, kale, and peas; white wine; lemon zest and juice; and marscapone and parm. Once the veggies were tender and the sauce was creamy and super flavorful, I stirred in farro (our favorite grain) that had been cooked in chicken broth. It. Is. SO. GOOD!!!

Cook 8-10 ounces farro (my package was 8.8 ounces) in chicken broth until tender, according to the package’s instructions (I use a quick 10-minute farro from Whole Foods). Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the rest. While the farro is cooking, melt 1-2 TB butter in 1-2 TB olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-low heat. Add a few sliced cloves of garlic, 1 minced shallot, and a big pinch of red pepper flakes; saute a few minutes. Increase heat to medium and add one bunch of asparagus that has been chopped into ~1/2-inch pieces. Add one small bunch of kale that has been sliced into ribbons. Pour in a big glug of white wine and zest one lemon into the pan. Simmer until veggies are mostly tender, then add in 1 cup frozen peas and cook until warmed through — just a few minutes. Add a dollop of marscapone, 1/4 cup grated parm, and the juice of one lemon. Stir until creamy. Finally, add the farro and stir to combine, adding some reserved cooking broth as needed. Serve with extra lemon and parm.