Monday, October 8, 2012

Chard and Chickpeas with Farro

Chard wilting in the pan.
We're about a week into October now. How is your #unprocessed challenge going? I'm lucky in that our CSA delivers fresh produce year-round, making it easy for me. (To find a CSA in your area, check out Local Harvest.) Lately they've been sending us a lot of chard, so I've been finding new ways to cook with it. Here is one that I created based on what I had around the house. It was delicious, and it made enough for me to have leftovers too! And we all know how much I love my leftovers! This dish is great this month, for October Unprocessed, but it would be delicious any time.

When I make a dish that consists mainly of vegetables (like this one), I like to combine it with a whole grain. Quinoa or brown rice are my usual go-to grains that I keep around the house, but lately I've been hearing a lot about farro. I usually buy my grains in the bulk section of the grocery store, and store them in glass jars. I've found that this reduces the amount of waste from all the packaging, and also keeps my kitchen nice and organized! If you live in the Bay Area and are interested in having me give your kitchen a make-over, send me an email and let's talk!

Anyway, back to my dinner...Farro is the italian name for emmer wheat, and is an unprocessed grain of wheat. Farro is lower in gluten and higher in protein and fiber than conventional wheat. It is also high in magnesium and B vitamins. Sounds good, right? I purchased some from the bulk section at the store, and it had been sitting on my shelf for a few weeks. I thought this chard and chickpea recipe was the perfect dish to try it with. And I was right! The farro has a nice bite to it, almost like al-dente pasta, and it has a nutty flavor too. It paired very well with the chard and chickpeas, and was hearty, and left me feeling full without being stuffed. This grain could be substituted any time a recipe calls for rice, pasta, or another grain. That's the best thing about these grains - they're so interchangeable!

Finished dish, served over farro. 

Leftovers! In my glass "tupperware" to bring to work and reheat.
(Sorry for the horrible lighting here.)

Chard and Chickpeas with Farro
Ingredients:
2T Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, chopped
1 Small Onion, chopped
1C Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans (they're the same thing!)
1 Bunch Swiss Chard, rinsed and chopped
1 Tomato, sliced
1/2 Lemon, juiced
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Stir in garlic and onion, cook and stir until soft and fragrant. They'll turn a bit translucent.
- Stir in the chickpeas, and season with s&p. Heat through.
- When chickpeas are hot (a few minutes), add the chard to the pan. Cook until wilted.
- Add tomato slices, squeeze lemon juice over the greens, and heat through.
- Plate, and season with more s&p, if desired.

Farro, almost done cooking.
Cooking Farro:
- Similar to rice, the ratio of farro to water is 1:2. For example, if cooking 1C farro, use 2C water.
- Be sure to rinse the farro before using. Even better, soak it!
- Boil water in pot, salt it, then add the rinsed farro. Cover and simmer until water is absorbed. Cooking time will vary depending on how much you're making, but 1C of farro took me about 30 minutes.

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