Seasoned with cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper, this easy roasted carrot chickpea farro with pistachios and scallions has a touch of heat.
This Saturday is the day.
Finally!
After waiting a long six months, farmers market season kicks off this weekend in Chicago. My excitement is probably no surprise.
Browsing the stands is one of life’s simple joys.
It takes a few weeks for the selection to start gearing up, but I don’t mind. I will be buying early spring greens including at least one bunch of ramps during my first shopping trip.
The transition from winter to spring is always a challenge for me in the kitchen. There are moments when I’m out of ideas because certain dishes feel more appropriate for colder weather, or the opposite, they fast-forward right into summer.
The same can be said for figuring out what to wear. One day you are bare-legged and the next you’re back in boots.
As we inch closer to the real bounty of spring and summer, pantry ingredients become less important. I think it’s a combination of the longer days and access to outdoor markets multiple days per week that have me shopping more often during the week.
Picking up just one or two things doesn’t seem like such a big deal.
For now, I am still relying on pantry vegetables. With a longer shelf-life than most, carrots are mainstay in my kitchen from fall through spring. They are good raw and cooked including in this roasted carrot chickpea farro.
This is what you need for the farro:
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Then combine the cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper and olive oil in a large bowl. Toss in the diced carrots and chickpeas. Make sure to stir them around, so they are coated with the spiced oil.
Spread the carrots and chickpeas over a sheet pan and roast them for about a half hour. The carrots should be cooked through and lightly browned at the edges. And the chickpeas should be crispy.
While the carrots and chickpeas are in the oven, make the farro on the stove. Bring the water and grains to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes covered. Let the farro stand for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork and draining out the excess water.
Put the farro in a large bowl. Stir in the carrots and chickpeas along with sliced scallions, chopped pistachios, salt and black pepper. That’s it.
You can serve the farro warm or at room temperature.
Did not make but looks good.
I had been looking at the bag of farro in my cabinet for months. I had heard good things about it, but it didn’t look yummy. Today I made this recipe. I have rarely had such success with a recipe. It was yummy, really yummy from the first bite! I am a big fan of cumin and pistachios, so that helped, but I will most definitely make this again. Really, really good.