Farro Sausage and Spinach Soup

 

I had no barley for soup and what to do crossed my mind.  I did have a lot of other grains I could use to bulk up a soup.  I opted to use farro to make this soup....what could go wrong with an ancient grain with a light nutty flavor?  Nothing, it was really tasty and comforting on a cold winters night.

Farro like barley does take a bit of simmering to get the grain to a nice barely al dente or a softer texture.  I put the farro on and then do the veggie cutting for base while it simmers a bit before the base is added.

To lighten soup fat wise I used a pork and chicken kielbasa instead of the slightly fattier all pork variety.  You still get the porky flavor and just enough fat to be able to sauté the vegies. 

Farro, Sausage and Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

• 64 oz chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb smoked kielbasa style sausage
• 10 oz bag baby spinach
• 1 c farro
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 large sweet onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Rinse farro in a colander or sieve.  Add to large stock pot and 32 ounces of the chicken broth.  (I use unsalted broth from Swanson).  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.

Slice carrots into 1/4" coins.  Slice celery to 1/4" slices. Dice the onion in 1/4" dice.  Slice sausage into scant 1/2" coins.   In a nonstick sauté pan add the sausage and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Add onion, carrot and celery.  Sautee until onions become translucent about 4-5 minutes.  Pour in remaining 32 ounces of broth to deglaze pan and bring to boil.  Once at a boil pour into stock pot with the simmering grain.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Tie with kitchen string the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.  Add to the stock pot.  Simmer 30 minutes until farro is tender.

Remove the herb bundle.  Stir in spinach in small batches until incorporated into the soup.  Simmer 5 minutes until the spinach as been completely wilted.

Serve up in soup bowls and garnish with seasoned croutons and a sprinkling of grated parmesan.

Farro Risotto...righteous and good for you

This is really a righteous grain.  Taste and texture along the lines of pearled barley, just a little nuttier in taste.  It took me a few times before I got this right.   It was worth the trial and error.  The perfect side companion to serve as a bed for a simple oven roasted chicken breast.  This recipe serves 2, but can be easily doubled or tripled.

For those of you that don't know farro is in the wheat family.  Its an ancient grain that was hybridized later to make the modern variety of wheat used in making flour and such.  This stuff is pretty amazing, rich in flavor and fiber, you can' go wrong.  More about it HERE. The nice thing is that I can get the stuff at a regular groc cheap...2.49 for a pound vs triple that at the local hippy mart.  Pays to shop, I knooowwww.

As both the broth and Parmesan Reggiano are salty wait until the very end to actually salt the farro.  I found I needed none, but your broth many be less salty and you won't need any extra.  And for goodness sakes, use real fresh grated Parmesan, not that awful additive laced so it pours crap in the green can at the groc. I swear, I catch you using that I'm sicking Uncle Vito to have a conversation wit you.  Capiche?

Farro "Risotto"

• 3/4 c farro 
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1/8 t fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 t dried basil
• 1 T butter
• 1/3 c fresh grated Parmesan
• salt

Combine farro, chicken broth, butter, pepper and basil in a small lidded saucepan.  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.  Cover and simmer 25-30 minutes until only a couple tablespoons of broth remain.  Stir occasionally.  When its all fluffy and broth has nearly completely absorbed remove from heat and stir in Parmesan.  Test for seasoning and salt if needed.   Serve hot as a hearty side!