Variation of a recipe from Chef Michelle McKenzie at 18 Reasons
Last Tuesday Emily and I spoke at a dinner at 18 Reasons. The meal featured produce from our farm and the main dish was farro with roasted butternut squash with arugula pesto. It was really tasty, and the chef was kind enough to give us a few tips. This is a variation on Michelle’s recipe, tailored to accommodate items in this week’s box. I am making it right at this very moment; Beets and Turnips are in the oven roasting, Farro is cooking in Eatwell Farm Chicken Stock and in a minute I am going to make the Kale Pesto. Always good to cook and write so I don’t forget how I do things.
1/2 cup Farro
1 1/2 cups Eatwell Farm Chicken Stock
1/2 piece of Kombu Seaweed (this isn’t strictly necessary)
3 Beets, washed not peeled, tops and a bit of the long tail removed
3 medium sized Turnips, washed not peeled
Good Oil
Some salt to sprinkle on the roasting veg
1/4 cup more or less to taste Kale Pesto
Warm the chicken stock separately. Heat a heavy bottomed sauce pan dry, no oil or water, over medium high heat, then add the farro. Toast until the color changes to a rich golden and it smells deliciously aromatic and toasty. Keep an eye on it as it can go over and burn quickly. Once toasted, add the heated chicken stock by 1/2 cup, stirring in between each addition. Add the piece of Kombu in and cover the pot. Adjust the temp to medium low or low depending on your stove and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. You don’t need to add salt since you will be dressing it with the Kale Pesto. For the Beets and Turnips, preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut 3 pieces of foil and put one turnip and one beet on each sheet. Drizzle a bit of oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt onto each packet, close up and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. When the beets and turnips are well roasted open up the packets carefully to let the steam escape. As soon as you can handle them rub the peels right off and cut into bite sized chunks. Mix about 1/4 cup of Kale Pesto into the farro, mix well and plate. Top with the roasted beets and turnips and shave on a bit more parmesan if you like.
