Winter Farro Salad

PCC Winter Farro Salad

Adapted from PCC

2 cups farro
4 cups water
3 teaspoons salt, divided
1 1/4 pounds butternut squash or sweet potato, peeled, seeded and diced into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 cup olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 1/4 pounds portobello mushrooms, stems removed, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (I used cremini)
1 cup roasted red peppers, diced into 1-inch pieces (used sauteed red peppers)
1/4 cup roasted garlic cloves
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground rosemary
3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar (used a mix of blackberry balsamic and white vinegar)
1/2 pound chard and kale mix (equal parts green kale, red kale
and red chard, stems removed, cut into 1-inch pieces)

Soak farro in water overnight. Bring water, pre-soaked farro and 2 teaspoons
salt to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Drain in a
colander and let cool slowly at room temperature. Do not rinse. Refrigerate
farro when cooled.

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Toss squash or sweet potato pieces lightly in 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and
1/2 teaspoon pepper and roast in oven until brown on the edges and soft, about
20 minutes.

Toss mushrooms and red peppers lightly in 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2
teaspoon pepper. Saute on stovetop with 1-2 cloves of garlic. During final minutes, add the kale and chard and let steam until soft.

In food processor, puree roasted garlic with thyme and rosemary. With the
machine running, first drizzle in vinegar and then remaining olive oil until
dressing is blended. Toss farro with dressing, sauteed vegetables and
squash or sweet potatoes.

To serve, toss equal parts farro mixture and loosely packed chard and kale
mix in individual bowls.

Sausage and Rice Timbale

Timbale

Food Network

Kosher salt

2 1/2 cups arborio rice

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

3/4 pound Italian pork sausage (preferably luganega), casings removed

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 to 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups grated pecorino romano cheese (about 3 ounces)

2 ounces deli-sliced provolone cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, shaking the colander to remove any excess water. Spread the rice on a rimmed baking sheet and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place a baking sheet on the middle rack. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes. Tear the basil and add to the skillet along with the garlic and tomato paste.

Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste browns, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Coat the pan with the breadcrumbs, tapping to remove any excess. Put the eggs and all but 3 tablespoons of the pecorino cheese in a small bowl and beat with a fork.

Put the cooled rice in a bowl; add the egg mixture and stir to combine.Transfer about two-thirds of the rice mixture to the prepared springform pan. Using moist fingers, pat the rice onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan, forming a 1/2-inch-thick layer. Place the provolone slices over the rice in the pan. Spoon about three-quarters of the sausage filling over the provolone, filling it to 1/2 inch from the top. Pat the remaining rice mixture on top to enclose the filling, then sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons pecorino cheese.

Put the pan on the hot baking sheet and bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool, 5 minutes.

Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the timbale, then remove the side of the pan. Slide a spatula under the timbale and transfer it to a platter. Thin the remaining sausage filling with a splash of water and reheat. Serve with the timbale.