farro & sausage stew . . . a Fall evening with friends

We recently hosted friends for a casual Fall-inspired dinner.

I don't know about you, but my favorite way to entertain in the Fall is by serving big, warm pots of soups, stews, and chilies FAMILY STYLE . . . rustic loaves of fresh breads . . . all in a comfortable, Fall-inspired setting.

For our Fall evening gathering, I served Farro & Sausage Stew and Artisan Rosemary bread FAMILY STYLE on our kitchen island. I stacked white bowls, linen napkins, and spoons on a large wooden board for ease and convenience.

And to create a fun and festive setting, I stacked a few of beautiful Cinderella pumpkins, and then tucked kale between them . . . for a sort of kale collar (say that 5 times!).  I had extra fresh thyme and rosemary, so I placed a few bunches here and there around our food, and it smelled heavenly.

Here's a peak at our evening . . . and a recipe for a delicious Fall and Winter soup!

These chocolate short-bread cookies are so good. They taste a lot like French Chocolate Sables . . . yum! We enjoyed them with pumpkin ice cream after dinner. I hope to share the recipe soon!

our menu

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farro & sausage stew

artisan roasted garlic and rosemary bread

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ice-cold Bundaberg Sarsaparilla

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pumpkin shaped chocolate short-bread cookies with pumpkin ice cream

I've shared a few of my favorite soups and chili recipes on this blog, like here, here, and here . . . and I have a new one to share with you today . . . farro & sausage stew!

Whole-grain FARRO is the star of this hearty soup. Have you ever tried it?

It's a wheat berry that's high in fiber, protein, and nutrients. It's nutty and full-flavored, with an appealing chewy texture. FARRO certainly gives soups and stews a 'hearty' factor.

Fine Cooking shared great nutritional information on this ancient variety of wheat, here.

Since it can be somewhat hard to find, I want to share two sources that might help you find this WHOLE-GRAIN wonder . . . .

Bob's Red Mill is a brand commonly seen in most markets now, and sells packaged FARRO for approximately $5.49/bag, OR . . .

                you can also find WHOLE-GRAIN farro in the bulk buy bins section in your market. I prefer to buy it this way, since I don't cook with it very often.  Buying from bulk bins also allows you to buy smaller quantities, which is great . . . and costs less, too. I can buy 3 cups of FARRO for approximately $2.25.

Please note that this recipe calls for WHOLE-GRAIN farro, not pearled. I chose to use whole-grain because it's more nutritious, but with that extra nutrition comes a LONGER cooking time.  

So let's talk about this soup  . . . stew . . .

Besides that it's full of healthy ingredients, it's also a delicious, clean-tasting, and hearty.

The spicy Italian sausage adds a little punch of heat . . . the kale and fresh thyme gives freshness . . . and the FARRO - a yummy, chewy nuttiness.  The combination yields a delicious and healthy soup.

Another thing that made this soup/stew extra special was that I used home-made broth. You can see my recipe for it here.

Oh my heavens, and adding ribbons of shaved fresh pecorino-romano takes it to a whole new level of creamy yumminess! A must when you make this soup!

farro & sausage stew

serves 4

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1 cup WHOLE-GRAIN (not pearled) farro
good olive oil

8 ounces hot Italian sausage (about 2 links), casings removed

4 cloves garlic, sliced

5 cups chicken stock (*home-made, if possible)

1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped (about 4 cups)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper

SHAVED pecorino-romano for garnish!!

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Preparation

In a large, heavy saucepan, cover the farro with a couple inches of water. 

Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, salt the water and simmer gently until the farro is tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. 

Cook the sausage, breaking it up, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cook the garlic until golden, 2 minutes. Add the stock; bring to a simmer. Stir in the farro and kale and simmer until the kale is tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.

Return the sausage to the pan and stir in the thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the stew among bowls, top with the shavings of pecorino-romano and drizzle with olive oil.

Cheers, to cozy Fall evening with friends!

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