Farro with Wild Mushrooms � So Old it�s New

We don�t get to eat a lot of food that�s identical to what the ancient Romans would have eaten, which is one of the things that makes farro so fun. 

They must have had mushrooms and fermented cream back then, so it�s easy to imagine Cleopatra and Mark Antony enjoying this before an evening of who knows what.

You can buy dry farro in whole-grain form, but I prefer the �pearled� style, where the tougher outer layer has been polished down. Mine took about 40-45 minutes to cook, but that will depend on the brand you buy, as the sizes, and amount of polishing can vary.

I think this makes the perfect winter side dish, and while you could serve it as an entr�e like a risotto, for me it�s much better as a co-star. It has a very unique, firm and chewy texture that makes it a great contrast for roasted or braised meat, but all by itself, it could get tiresome. That said, I hope you give this exciting �new� grain a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms (a small handful), *soaked, and chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

10 brown mushrooms, cubed

1/2 onion, small dice

2 clove minced garlic

salt to taste
1 heaping cup pearled farro

3 cups chicken stock, divided

2 tbsp cr�me fraiche

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

grated Parmigiano Reggiano

*Note: You can strain and use the soaking liquid in the dish, but after only 20 minutes it�s fairly weak, and I wanted the extra flavor of chicken broth, so I didn�t use it. If you soak them for a longer time, and/or want to stay vegetarian, then go for it.

Beef and Barley Stew � Cold Enough for You?

We�re currently right in the middle of stew season, and this beautiful bowl of beef and barley would be perfect for your next super-storm. 

Nope, we can�t do anything about our crazy weather, at least according to a handful of climate scientists employed by the oil industry, but what we can do something about, is what we�re going to eat while we watch the snow pile up.

When it comes to stick-to-your-ribs stews, it doesn�t get any better than shank.  There�s so much gelatin-producing connective tissue, that it makes an especially satisfying sauce for your meat and grain. 

Speaking of grain; I use something called �naked barley,� which I thought was just a catchy name for polished, or �pearl barley," but apparently it�s actually a rare variety where the hull comes off naturally during harvesting. I still say it�s a clever marketing ploy, but no matter which barley you choose, you�re still going to just cook it until tender.

By the way, with recipes like this be sure to have some extra broth or stock on hand, in case your stew gets too thick at the end. And yes, you can add extra liquid and easily turn this into a stellar soup. If you can find some fresh horseradish root, I highly recommend trying my snowy garnish. It really adds a nice, little sharp counterpoint to the sticky stew. I hope you give it a try soon.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for four servings:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 pounds beef shank (2 thick slices), seasoned generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped fine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
2/3 cup diced celery
2/3 cup diced carrots

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 cup pearl or naked barley

salt to taste (if it tastes bland, you need more salt)

freshly grated horseradish root

- Cook beef shank until tender, then remove, and cook the barley in the stewing liquid until tender. Heat beef in cooked barley. That's it.

Perfect Polenta � Dedicated to Some Fun Girl

Not only is polenta one of the first foods I remember watching someone cook, but it�s probably also responsible for the first time I ever heard someone curse. 

I remember my grandfather standing at the stove, stirring a big pot of the stuff, and every once in a while some of the thick, bubbling polenta would burp out of the pot and on to his hand. He would jump back and yell something, which to my very young ears sounded sort of like, �hey, some fun girl!� 

Of course, years later I realized he was actually saying, �vaffanculo.� I�ll let you translate yourself. By the way, one way to avoid the wrath of the molten mush is to adjust your heat to maintain a nice gentle bubble.

Besides severe burns, there�s not a lot that can go wrong with this recipe. As long as you stir it in slowly, whisking constantly, and simmer it until it�s perfectly soft, you will have one of the world�s great comfort foods, and a beautiful base for any number of stews or braises. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions:

4 cups water or broth

1 cup polenta (you can use regular corn meal, but it�s not as easy to work with, and the texture isn�t as interesting)

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter

1/2  cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Note: if your question is, �can you add [blank] to this recipe,� the answer is yes.