It’s great for packed lunches and picnics. Vegetables, such as asparagus and snap peas are a fine substitute, as are chunks of ripe tomato, summer squash, roasted winter squash or any type of leftover roasted vegetables even edamame. Recipe from Lukas Volger: BOWL
Ingredients: [‘cracked farro’, ‘fine sea salt’, ‘sherry wine vinegar’, ‘red pepper flakes’, ‘carrots’, ‘green beans’, ‘potatoes’, ‘radishes’, ‘fresh ricotta’, ‘pesto sauce’, ‘olive oil’, ‘walnuts’, ‘fresh basil’, ‘sea salt’, ‘fresh ground black pepper’, ‘lemon wedge’]
Quantity of Ingredients: [“2 cups cracked farro”,”2 teaspoons fine sea salt”,”1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar”,”1 pinch red pepper flakes”,”8 ounces small to medium carrots (different colors preferred)”,”6 ounces green beans”,”8 ounces small waxy potatoes”,”6 small-to-medium radishes”,”1/2 cup fresh ricotta (can sub small curd cottage cheese)”,”3 tablespoons pesto sauce”,” olive oil, as needed and for drizzling “,”1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts”,”1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil or 1/4 cup parsley, for garnish “,” flaky sea salt, for garnish “,” fresh ground black pepper, for garnish “,” lemon wedge, for garnish “]
Number of Servings: 4
Steps: [‘(Note: Farro shouldn’t be added straight to boiling water, or the insides will split the husks open. Cover it with cold water and place over the heat so that the grains heat up gradually and the result will be much more attractive.) Place the farro in a medium or large saucepan and cover with at least 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, add the sea salt, then reduce the heat to a gentle boil and cook for 16 to 20 minutes, until the farro is tender but retains a pleasant chew. Drain; return the farro to the pot and toss with the vinegar and red pepper flakes. Let stand, covered until ready to serve.’, ‘Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Peel the carrots and slice into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Trim the stem end off the green beans. Slice the potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick rounds or quarter them if they’re small. Cut the radishes into paper-thin rounds.’, ‘Fill a saucepan or pot with about 1/2 inch water, then fit with a steamer unit. Bring the water to a simmer. Steam carrots, green beans, and potatoes in separate batches, or in separate layers of a stacking steamer unit, until tender and easily pierced with a paring knife. The carrots will take 4 to 6 minutes, the string beans 1 to 3 minutes and the potatoes 4 to 7 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a plate and cover loosely with a piece of foil or paper plate to keep them warm.’, ‘Stir together the ricotta or small curd cottage cheese and pesto until smooth. Add olive oil, about a teaspoon at a time as needed to thin it out; the mixture should be light and fluffy. Taste and add pinches of salt as needed.’, ‘To serve, divide the cooked farro among four bowls. Top the farro in each bowl with the steamed vegetables, radishes and walnuts. Top with about 2 tablespoons of the pesto ricotta per bowl, then garnish each serving with the basil or parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of flaky salt, a few grinds of pepper and a lemon wedge.’, ‘After the grains and the vegetables have cooled completely, this bowl can be assembled in airtight containers and stored in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.’]