Farro with Fennel, Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash

My friend recently emailed a picture of lunch she was having at a cafe in NY of farro with fennel, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, frisee, and potatoes. It looked delectable and my friend said it was delicious. I was intrigued by the ingredients. I have never used either fennel or frisee in my cooking. Since discovering farro a little while ago I have only cooked it once before (see Mediterranean Spinach Farro salad).

I forget to buy some frisee but instead I substituted with radicchio which is another vegetable I have never used directly in my cooking. I made this with strict portion control in mind and low caloric value, so feel free to adapt to personal preference. It turned out pretty good for a one pot meal.  Here’s how I made it:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup farro
2-3 Brussels sprouts sliced thin
1/8 radicchio sliced thin
1/8 fennel sliced thin
1/8 butternut squash cut into cubes
1 garlic clove minced
1 shallot sliced
1 small potato cut into cubes
1 tsp butter
salt and fresh ground pepper

Bring 1 cup water to boil. Rinse and add the farro and cook on medium low until the farro is cooked and all the water evaporates. About 20 minutes.

In a separate pan heat the butter. Add the vegetables and light fry for a few minutes. Add salt and fresh ground pepper. Add the farro and some water and continue cooking for another 10 minutes until the vegetables soften and the water evaporates. Serve warm. Makes 2 servings.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Grilled Corn Chowder

My slight variation of a soup from Chef Robin White from #SoupWeek.

Ingredients:
1 small butternut squash, cubed
2 corn on the cob
1 small red bell pepper chopped
6-8 small yukon gold potatoes quatered
2-3 cloves garlic minced
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
6 cups vegetable broth or plain water
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss squash with t tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper. Transfer onto an aluminum sheet and roast for 20minutes. Heat the grill. Brush each corn cob with olive oil and salt and pepper and grill till light brown.

In a large pan heat the remaining oil, add onions, pepper, garlic and fry till lightly brown. Add the spices. Add the squash. Remove the corn from the husk and add. Cook for another minute. Add stock and continue cooking for another 20 minutes. Mash or puree half in a food processor. Return to the pan. Add the potatoes and continue cooking till the potatoes are tender.

Garnish with a dollop of cream and salted pumpkin seeds. Serve hot and enjoy!