International Food Blogger Conference 2012 Portland

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Farrotto with Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Saffron

By mlb, on May 9th, 2012%

Farrotto

It’s Farro! Farro is a type of wheat (grown mostly in Italy), that is like a spelt, but should be soaked before cooking. After cooking, it retains a nice, chewy texture. You can do a lot of fun things with it like make salads, add it to soups and use it for risotto — farrotto! This is made pretty much exactly like a risotto, you just have to soak the farro first.

The original recipe stirred in some butter at the end, but I used goat cheese. Because, why use butter when you can use cheese? This could also totally be made without the sausage if you wanted to keep it vegetarian (and use vegetable broth, of course). Maybe add some chopped bell pepper or something. Go crazy.

Farrotto with Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Saffron
Adapted from a recipe in the New York Times, serves 4
1 1/2 cups farro
5 cups vegetable . . . → Read More: Farrotto with Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Saffron

Leave a comment   Cheese, Comfort Food, Interesting Grains, Italian, Risotto

Feta & Kamut Berry Salad

By mlb, on March 23rd, 2012%

Kamut Berry Salad

This has become sort of a weekly staple over the last…okay, well, only two weeks but I plan to keep making it pretty often. In fact, I am on my second bag of Kamut Berries. Of course, you can also make this with plain old wheat or spelt berries (or even rye berries), but I find Kamut* kind of fun.

It’s very Greek Salad-esque and the kick of cumin goes just perfectly. I quadrupled the olives from the original recipe and added pine nuts.

Feta & Kamut Berry Salad
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
1 cup kamut, wheat, spelt, or rye berries
5 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 tsp ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
dried hot red pepper flakes to taste
1 red or orange bell pepper, roasted, peeled and diced
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup pitted brine-cured black olives
1/2 . . . → Read More: Feta & Kamut Berry Salad

2 comments   Greek, Interesting Grains, Mediterranean, Salads, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Millet Risotto with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese & Leeks

By mlb, on September 20th, 2011%

Millet Risotto

So, hey, here’s something fun to do with millet! It’s kind of like risotto (except, not really), but it is creamy and delicious. And, you don’t have to stir in continuously like real risotto. Just simmer under a cracked lid, stirring every so often.

I was actually surprised at how good this was. I think jwa was too. You know, I think he’s kind of humoring me with all the new, out-of-the-ordinary grains and stuff, but this one he really liked. He seemed pleasantly surprised by that.

Sorry, I don’t have a good image of the roasted butternut squash, just believe me, it was there and I roasted it. Also, it’s very apparent that I really need to replace my one burnt out light above my stove top. Buying an appliance bulb tomorrow, I think, because one light bulb there just isn’t enough for good pictures. . . . → Read More: Millet Risotto with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese & Leeks

2 comments   Autumn, Comfort Food, Interesting Grains, Italian, Risotto