Looking for a new side dish to switch things up? I recently discovered farro and I love it! The texture to the grain is firm but light. However, on it's own it's a little boring. By adding the salty, crispy coppa with the roasted cauliflower, it provides different textures and a variety of flavors that blend well together. I like to serve it with roasted chicken thighs with a white wine sauce, or tonight for example, we had it alongside pork chops. Here's what you'll need:
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 1 cup farro
- 2 cups chicken stock for cooking the farro
- 3 oz coppa or other cured Italian meat (prosciutto, pancetta, etc.) - about 4 slices cut ¼" thick, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- chicken stock
Cut the cauliflower into florets, toss with olive oil and lightly season with salt. Roast at 425F for 20 minutes. In the meantime, add the farro and chicken stock to a pan and bring to a boil. Add enough chicken stock (or water or combination of the two) to cover the farro with an additional inch of liquid. Farro will take 25-30 minutes to cook. Once farro is cooked, drain and set aside.
While your cauliflower and farro are cooking, dice your coppa and mince the garlic. Heat a large sauté pan on high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil is hot, add coppa and cook for about 3 minutes or until the meat begins to crisp but is not fully cooked. Add the garlic and stir until coppa is crispy. Stir in the farro, then add white wine and lemon juice and stir. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Add the cauliflower and toss together. I topped mine with some sliced scallions, but chopped parsley would be nice for a little color, or nothing at all is good too. Makes about 4 servings. Serve alongside your favorite main dish!
Leave a Reply