Wholegrains make up a big part of my cooking. I vary them as much as I do the fruit and vegetables I eat. If we spread the net as wide as possible and eat an array of grains, pulses, fruit and vegetables, then we are hedging our bets when it comes to getting the maximum amount of pleasure, interest, flavour and nutrients from our food.
Popular in Italy, farro is a little-used grain here, but it’s one I love. A type of wheat that sometimes goes by the name emmer, it’s similar to spelt, with a satisfying, chewy bite and a toasty, hearty flavour. It comes in three varieties: wholegrain, semi-pearled (where the husks are removed, but the seed retains some of its bran) and pearled. Because they have had their hard outer casings rubbed away, the pearled and semi-pearled seeds are softer and cook more quickly. Semi-pearled is the most common and the type I use. Wholegrain is harder to find, but contains more fibre and nutrients. If you can’t find farro, pearl barley would work well.
Here, the farro is tossed with caramelly roasted fennel and leeks, and a vibrant dressing using big, fat green olives. It all comes together to make a warm, filling and fitting autumn lunch or supper. The freshness from the herbs, lemon, chilli and olive oil keeps things hearty but bright. It’s also amazing the next day.
Warm fennel, green olive and oregano farro
Serves: 4
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250g semi-pearled or quick-cook farro (or pearl barley)
2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and thickly sliced, leafy tops reserved to garnish
2 leeks, washed and roughly chopped into thick lengths
4 cloves garlic, peeled
4-6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for the baking tray, and to drizzle)
1 splash white wine vinegar
1 bunch fresh parsley or basil
2 handfuls of winter greens, washed, destemmed and shredded
150g green olives, pitted
A few sprigs of fresh oregano
100g chopped toasted almonds
1 tsp honey
½ tsp red chilli flakes
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
1. Soak the farro in cold water for 20 minutes.
2. Place the fennel and leeks on a baking tray, in one layer if you can, as they’ll roast better this way — use two trays if needed. Add the garlic, a good amount of sea salt and black pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, carefully shaking the tray every now and then, until the vegetables are cooked through and crisp around the edges. Sprinkle the vinegar over the vegetables as soon as they come out of the oven and set aside to cool. When cool, tip onto a large chopping board, add the fresh parsley or basil and chop finely.
3. While the vegetables are roasting, drain the soaked farro and place into a saucepan with 750ml of cold water and ½ tsp of sea salt. Place on a medium heat, cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes if you are using semi-pearled, longer if it’s the wholegrain stuff. Cook until tender, but not so long that the grains become mushy. Add the shredded greens for the last minute or two of cooking, using a spoon to submerge them in the water. Drain and set aside.
4. Coarsely chop the olives and the oregano and place them in a bowl along with 4-6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, the toasted almonds, honey, chilli flakes and lemon juice and ½ tsp of salt. Mix well and set aside until you are ready to serve.
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5. Put the vegetables, farro and olive mixture in a bowl or tray and combine well. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Serve topped with some chopped chilli and a little more lemon juice or olive oil if needed.
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Photographer: Elena Heatherwick; food stylist: Emily Ezekiel; prop stylist: Alex Ortiz