Ingredients
- 1 cup farro (or barley)
- 4 strips Shiner Pork smoked jowl bacon, diced*
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large fennel bulb, diced (chop the tops and reserve them)
- 1 large scarlet turnip, diced
- 2–3 gloves garlic
- 1 bunch rainbow chard, stalks diced and leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- zest of 1 small lemon
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 quart organic chicken (or vegetable) stock
Preparation
Cook the farro al dente in about 20 minutes. In a pan with a nonstick bottom, cook jowl bacon (without additional fat) and onion over medium heat onion until onion is caramelized and bacon fat rendered (about 5 minutes). Add celery, turnip, fennel, garlic, chard stems and spices; stir for 1–2 minutes before adding stock.
Bring to a gentle boil, turn low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add farro and simmer for another 10 minutes, adding the chopped chard leaves and parsley for the last 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Finish with fresh ground pepper and lemon zest and garnish with fennel tops. Serve with fresh, crusty baguette!
About this recipe
*If you want a vegetarian version, replace jowl bacon with 1 tablespoon olive oil and use organic vegetable stock!
Pair with: Southern Star Buried Hatchet Stout! Southern Star is a brewery out of Conroe and their stout has roasted hazelnut and coffee notes with a touch of sweetness that would match the richness and smokiness but still be delicate enough for the vegetables.
