Super Natural Cooking: Farro with Asparagus & Green Onion Sauce ♥

I'm betting that when Heidi Swanson titled her new cookbook Super Natural Cooking, by 'super natural' she meant something other than (1) three hours of afternoon errands (2) feeling oh-so-tempted to pick up supper somewhere, anywhere, on the way home (3) deciding otherwise and (4) then, the payoff, 30 minutes later, sitting down to a fast, delicious and healthful meal. (And colorful! Look at that plate!) In my book, anyway, one definition of 'supernatural' is helping us successfully battle the lure of the drive-through. Thank you, Heidi!

In fact, Heidi did mean something else by Super Natural, as the subtitle reveals: Five Ways To Incorporate Whole and Natural Ingredients into Your Cooking.

This cookbook is a thinking cook's friend, one to challenge your pantry along with your brain. I'm just beginning to explore its concepts and its recipes but if the farro/asparagus combination is any prediction, this is destined to be a favorite cookbook, perhaps one of my very own 101 Cookbooks (yes, that's Heidi's food blog/website).

FARRO Huh, what? Farro is also called 'emmer wheat' and is much-appreciated in Italian cuisine. When I first tried it a few weeks back, I fell in love with this grain, its nutty and hearty puff. I don't quite know how to explain it but I do recommend that you look for it (or if you like Amazon sells Farro Perlato, in St. Louis, I find it at Global Foods, in the rice section). The 'pearled' or 'semi-pearled' farro has some of the husk removed and cooks more quickly.

GRAIN:VEGETABLE PROPORTIONS My taste is geared to less grain and more vegetable. So often, I cut in half the specified quantity of grain. Heidi called for 2 cups of farro and a pound of asparagus to feed 4 - 6. My version calls for 1 cup of farro and a pound of asparagus, the yield was four cups; topped with the gorgeous green onion sauce and some Greek yogurt, one cup made for a very satisfying light supper. (And if you count in Weight Watchers points, only five points.) Your taste may be different so, naturally, feed your taste!

KITCHEN NOTES

• The lemon zest really brightens this dish, I wouldn't skip it.
  
• I'd like the sauce to be more 'sauce-y' than goopy and so would thin it with cream or yogurt.
  
• While this version is a vegetarian supper, it's easy to imagine farro with asparagus served as a side dish or as a bed for grilled fish.
  
• I can also imagine it cooked in more broth, as a soup. Or what about substituting ripe tomato for the asparagus? This is a dish that's eminently adaptable, begging for adaptation based on what's in season and what you're in the mood for.

LEFTOVER REPORT Think about making a double batch, for this warms up beautifully and may taste even better on the second day. And given this, I might just stir in the cooked green onion rather than using a sauce, forgoing the cream or yogurt to make into a thinner sauce.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES For more ideas for Vegetarian Suppers, see the Recipe Box.

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FARRO with ASPARAGUS & GREEN ONION SAUCE

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Makes 4 cups (or more, see notes)

2 1/2 cups vegetable (or other) stock
1 cup farro, picked over and rinsed (Heidi uses 2 cups farro and 5 cups stock)
1 pound thin asparagus spears, woody ends snapped, tips cut off and reserved, spears cut into one-inch lengths
Zest of a lemon
1 cup toasted walnuts (I skipped these)
Salt to taste

GREEN ONION SAUCE
1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil)
12 green onions, roughly chopped (I used leek the second time I used this)
Salt to taste
1/4 cup half & half or yogurt (my recommended addition if you want a 'sauce', otherwise it works great to stir it in)

Optional Garnishes
Greek yogurt (Heidi suggests creme fraiche)
Freshly grated Parmesan (I skipped this)
Chopped green onion (I liked this a lot)

In a large pot or Dutch oven, begin heating the stock on MEDIUM HIGH. As soon as it's prepped, add the farro and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to MEDIUM (or lower, this did bubble up more than I expected), cover and let cook, stirring occasionally, until farro is nearly tender (there will still be liquid in the pan, the farro will continue to absorb it). Add the asparagus lengths (save the tips, for the moment) and cook for about five minutes, until the asparagus is nearly cooked but still bright green. Stir in the tips and cook another 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, walnuts. Salt to taste.

While the farro and asparagus cook, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, melt the butter til shimmery on MEDIUM. Add the green onion and cook til they soften, about 5 minutes. (Heidi 'creams' the sauce at this point with a hand blender. I liked this touch but it might not be needed if adding cream or yogurt.) Season to taste. Stir in the cream or yogurt and gently warm.

To serve, arrange farro/asparagus on plates, top with sauce and any garnishes. Serve and enjoy!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per cup using 1 cup farro, 1/4 cup half & half: 253 Cal (17% from Fat, 20% from Protein, 63% from Carb); 12 g Protein; 5 g Tot Fat; 3 g Sat Fat; 1 g Mono Fat; 40 g Carb; 6 g Fiber; NetCarb34; 2 g Sugar; 66 mg Calcium; 3 mg Iron; 947 mg Sodium; 13 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 5 points

Per Serving (assumes 6 servings) using 2 cups farro, no half & half, 1 cup walnuts: 404 Cal (32% from Fat, 19% from Protein, 50% from Carb); 19 g Protein; 14 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 4 g Mono Fat; 50 g Carb; 7 g Fiber; NetCarb43; 2 g Sugar; 54 mg Calcium; 3 mg Iron; 859 mg Sodium; 5 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 8 points

Per Serving (assumes 4 servings) using 2 cups farro, no half & half, 1 cup walnuts: Per Serving: 606 Cal (32% from Fat, 19% from Protein, 50% from Carb); 28 g Protein; 21 g Tot Fat; 3 g Sat Fat; 5 g Mono Fat; 76 g Carb; 11 g Fiber; 3 g Sugar; 81 mg Calcium; 4 mg Iron; 1288 mg Sodium; 8 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 13 points (yikes)

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Adapted from Super Natural Cooking: Five Ways To Incorporate Whole and Natural Ingredients into Your Cooking by Heidi Swanson

A Veggie Venture is home of the Veggie Evangelist Alanna Kellogg and vegetable inspiration from Asparagus to Zucchini. © Copyright 2007