Recipes

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Farro and Butternut Squash

Do you ever taste something at a restaurant or cafe and immediately think:  “mmm this is really good!  I need to re-create this at home!”

I had multiple occurrences of this a few weeks ago.  I was grabbing lunch with some co-workers at this little cafe.  They serve sandwiches, salads, and also had various prepared salads that you could order by the pound.  We shared a few of the different prepared salads, and with every bite I took I was taking note (literally, on my phone) of what I could taste. 

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The first one that I have re-created here was a Farro and Butternut Squash salad.  I knew it was dressed with at least Balsamic vinegar (I asked), but other than that I felt like I could taste caramelized onions and an herb, which I thought was sage.

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Based on the ingredients, you’d think I should have saved this for the fall…and I very well will be making this again come September, but it’s best served cold so therefore it can also be a delicious summer meal as well. 

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The first thing I did earlier in the day was roast my squash.  I’m not a big fan of even trying to peel a raw butternut squash, so I prefer to slice it in half and roast until tender.

Later when I went to finish the dish, I noticed on the back of the Farro bag was a recipe for… Farro with Roasted Butternut Squash

Coincidence??  Hmmm

The recipe on the bag included balsamic, onions, AND thyme (not sage, but sage was a guess).  Interesting…either total coincidence, or that cafe buys the same brand of Farro that I did.

The recipe on the bag has you roast the squash, peeled and chopped, with the onion, thyme, balsamic, olive oil…etc, however as I already cooked my squash I went in a different direction.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Farro Salad
Inspired by LaRosa’s cafe and Earthly Choice Farro

  • 1 small butternut squash
  • 2T olive oil
  • 2 cups Farro, rinsed
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 cups chicken stock (0r use all water)
  • 1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
  • 1 T fresh thyme, chopped
  • 3 T balsamic vinegar
  • Goat Cheese for topping
  1. Slice whole butternut squash in half lengthwise, scoop seeds out, and place cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet.

    Brush with 1T of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

    I like to add water to my pan while roasting.  Add about 1/4” water to pan. 

    Roast at 375 for 40-45 min, or until fork can easily be inserted into thickest part of squash. 

    Set aside to cool.  This step can be done a day a head of time.  Wrap cooked squash in plastic wrap and store in fridge until ready.

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  2. Combine water, broth, farro, and a big pinch of salt in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low/med and simmer, stirring occasionally for 15-20 min until farro is tender.  Drain and set aside.
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  3. While farro cooks, peel your squash and chop into bite size chunks.
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  4. Heat other 1T of olive oil over med/med-low heat and add onion.  You want to caramelize the onion, so you want to cook over a lower heat for a long time.  You don’t want to brown your onion, so keep an eye out and adjust temperature on your stove so it isn’t too high.  Cook for 12-15 min until soft and starting to turn golden.

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  5. Add in the thyme, cook for another 1-2 min, then add 1T of balsamic, and add in squash for the last minute.

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  6. Take onion/squash mixture off the heat and pour over cooked Farro, along with the other 2T of balsamic.

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  7. This dish can be served warm or cold, and best with some crumbled goat cheese on top! 

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I also enjoyed this served a top of a bed of baby spinach, with a splash of more balsamic and olive oil.  The onions and squash give such a nice sweetness that pairs really well with the tangy vinegar.  I love the texture and bite of the farro as well.

This also held up great for the next couple of days in the fridge. 

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9 comments:

  1. That sounds awesome! I am the same way with BN squash- peeling those things is a ridiculous pain in the behind! I don't think I've ever made farro at home? Gotta get on that. Hope you're having a good week

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  2. My kind of salad!!! I need to try farro!

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  3. Yes! I totally agree with this sentiment. I will admit that many of my best recipes are just copycats where I taste something fantastic at a restaurant and want to remake it at home.

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  4. totally my kind of salad :) LOVE it!!

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  5. I often get the urge to re-create restaurant meals at home too! I've never cooked with farro and want to try it, this sounds good!

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  6. I've never had farro, looks like a delicious healthy meal!

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  7. Haha, it would be so funny if the cafe was serving a recipe from the back of a farro bag!! Looks delicious :)

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  8. I love that the recipe was on the back of the bag! Bret once told me his mom made the best apple crisp and he asked her for the recipe so I could make it...um, yeah, it was Betty Crocker's recipe!

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  9. I've never cooked with farro, but I adore butternut squash and goat cheese! I say you try the recipe on the bag next time and see if your suspicions are correct :)

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