Friday, August 12, 2011

Barley with Green Onion Sauce

I looove the recipe for Farro with Green Onion sauce in Heidi Swanson's cookbook Super Natural Cooking.  Actually, I don't know for sure if I love it because I've never made it with farro.  I always substitute barley and it turns out great.  Last time I made it (according to the picture) I used barley instead of farro, and arugula and peas instead of asparagus.

The secret to this recipe is the green onion sauce.  When you saute the green onions in a little olive oil they take on an unusual oniony sweetness that, when pureed, makes a completely delicious sauce.  And the walnuts add a toasty crunch that goes perfectly with the other textures.  So even if you don't have farro and asparagus on hand, substitute any grain and vegetables you like and give this sauce a try.

Farro with Green Onion Sauce, Toasted Walnuts, and Asparagus


2 cups farro, picked over and rinsed
5 cups vegetable stock or water 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter
12 green onions, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt, plus more as needed
1 bunch asparagus spears (about 1 lb.), trimmed and cut on a sharp diagonal into 1-inch pieces
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish



Combine the farro and stock in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender, 45 minutes to an hour, or about half the time if you are using semi-pearled farro.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add the chopped green onions and saute for 5 minutes, or until the onions start to soften.  Stir in a couple pinches of salt.  If you have a hand blender, transfer to a small bowl and lightly puree them, but don't go overboard.  Alternatively, puree them in a food processor.  After a pulse or two, they will start to get nice and creamy, but you want to maintain some nice big chinks of green in there as well.

When the farro is nearly cooked, stir in the asparagus.  Let the pot simmer for another couple of minutes, until the asparagus is a vibrant green.  Some stock will still be visible in the pot.  This is fine; the farro will continue to absorb the liquid once removed from the heat.  Stir in the lemon zest, walnuts, and  the 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Add more salt to taste if needed.


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