So I am home sick today with a nasty, nasty cold but I need to eat, yes? I look in the fridge and cupboards to find, not to my surprise, little. I have two fennel bulbs and some green onions from the farmer's market last week, also some garlic. I have a small bag of farro (I knew last night that I would have to make something so I did think ahead) and I soaked about 1 cup of it last night. I ran down to the courtyard of my complex and snipped some rosemary from the many bushes we have. I love to improvise so here I go...and it was quite tasty if I do say so myself. It's really easy to make if you have nothing to do but sit around and blow your nose.
1 cup Farro, soaked overnight
1 quart Vegetable Stock (or chicken)
2 Tbsp. EVOO
2 Fennel bulbs, quartered, cored, and sliced thin
2 Green Onions, whites only, sliced thin (reserve the greens for garnish)
2 Large Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, minced
S & P to taste
Soak the farro overnight (cover it with about 4 cups water). The next day simmer it in the soaking water for about an hour until it is tender. Then add the stock and keep warm. The farro will continue to soak up liquid and become thick. This is good.
In a soup pot sauté the fennel and onion in the EVOO. When the fennel is slightly soft add the garlic and sauté for about another minute. Add the farro, stock and all, to the soup pot. Throw in the rosemary, season with S & P and simmer to let the flavors blend.
Serve hot with the sliced greens from the onions on top.
rwj
