I’ve revealed another food truth: I cannot fail with farro. This time, I’ve made the very filling, very satisfying “Farro and Beluga Lentil Pilaf with Ginger and Cilantro,” from the December 2010 issue of Fine Cooking. This dish celebrates the separate textures of the farro and the lentils, and once again, my family couldn’t stop eating this.
See my other farro achievements:
Buttermilk Farro Salad
Farro and Herbs
Mushroom-Farro Risotto
Chicken, Green Bean, Corn, and Farro Salad with Goat Cheese
Two shallots provided 1 cup, finely chopped. Instead of using dried chiles de arbol, I used 1 tsp. smoked paprika. I cooked the shallots for 5 minutes, then added the dry farro. It started to “crackle” after 7 minutes. Instead of beluga lentils, I used French indigo lentils. After adding the lentils to the skillet, I cooked for another 30 minutes, until the lentils were “tender but chewy.”
The caramelized red onions were a treat (aren’t they always?). And the third successful component of this dish was the scallion/carrot mixture. All pulled together, it was a winning meal: artful and delicious and pleasing.
RECIPE: a smart way to present farro and lentils in a substantial dish
PREP TIME: enjoy after more than an hour of prep and cooking
TASTE: farro is nutty and firm, lentils are chewy, while the onions are sweet and tangy and the scallions/carrots are sparked by vinegar and ginger
Next time, I want to make “Kung Pao Chicken,” as inspired by Rasa Malaysia. This one should be fun. Come back to my site on Monday, May 23, to witness my meal.
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