“Eat, drink and be merry!!’
I did.
And right now I am still feeling g a little full and craving something a little lighter ..and nutritious. Like soup and salad.
Sound familiar? I thought so.
Cruising through my pantry I came across a bag of farro that I had recently purchased and thought it would be wonderful in a soup. If you aren’t familiar farro, this is a great time to make it’s acquaintance. Farro is a type of wheat that is popular in Italian cooking. When cooked it has a has a chewy texture and nutty flavor. What I truly love about this grain though (aside from it’s flavor and texture) is that it cooks up quickly – in about 15 to 20 minutes which makes it perfect for weeknight meals and an easy addition to soups and salads.
This soup was inspired by a lemon fennel soup I’d had at a restaurant several years ago. I remember that it’s fresh and bright flavors were welcome after all the heavy dishes I’d been eating – and once home, I worked on re creating the soup. Using that as a jumping off point, I added farro and some grilled chicken. Paired with a salad, it makes an easy and filling meal that is full of fresh flavor.
Here are some great salads to go with it…
Kale salad with dates, pine nuts and feta
Butternut Squash Panzanella Salad
For a vegetarian version, add cooked chickpeas instead of the chicken.
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 leek, washed and cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup farro
- juice of one lemon
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh dill
- 2 Tbsp. minced fennel fronds
- 2 grilled chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch dice
- salt and white pepper
Instructions
- In a large soup pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and cook until the leeks and fennel are tender. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the stock and farro. Bring the stock to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook, covered for 15 - 20 minutes or until the farro is tender. Add the dill and fennel. Add the chicken and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional dill and fennel fronds if desired.
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Lemon + Dill + Fennel = YUM! Seems so simple and healthy. Definitely making this one
What a perfect “detox” for my post-Holiday blues! Where do you buy your farro?, because I can never seem to find it!!!
[K]
What a beautiful soup! I will have to try farro, sounds wonderful
Hope you had an amazing holiday
I have yet to try farro, but I’m so intrigued by it. This lovely soup would be a great place to start. The flavors are wonderful!
Hi Lisa!
I hope you give farro a try – it really is delicious and very versatile and cooks pretty quickly for a whole grain!
Perfect! I could use a little something fresh and bright right about now.
Gorgeous photos, gorgeous recipe. This sounds seasonal, simple, and wonderful. I’ve got fennel in my fridge, just waiting to be used up — I think I need to make this.
Ahh… thanks Lindsay!! I hope you enjoy the soup – it is very easy to make and after the heavy foods of the season it really hits the spot!
I love the nutty chewy nature of farro! Happy New Year. GREG
Hi Greg!
Happy New Year to you too!!
Boy this soup has it all! I love farro and I love fennel and I know that lemon added to anything adds a fabulous zing. Loving this soup! And such great photos! Wishing you a delightful, Happy and Healthy 2012!
What a beautiful and hearty soup for the Winter! I don’t think I use fennel enough, and this sounds perfect.
Love the light bright flavors in this soup – and farro is one of my favorite grains in soups.
Nancy, Is farro the same thing as wheat berry?
Hi Madonna!
Excellent question!!! No, they are not the same. Wheat berries are made of, you guessed it, the whole wheat kernel if you will. Farro is made from a cousin of wheat (I believe einkorn) but interestingly enough, both packages I have list the ingredient as “farro” which, based on my research is not a specific grain per se but can be one of several as the term is used in Italy. From what I have read, Farro is semi pearled, meaning that some of the bran has been rubbed of (but it is still considered a whole grain). With wheat berries, the bran is completely intact. Phew – long explanation there! The main difference between them is cooking time. Wheat berries take significantly longer to cook – about 45 minutes versus the 15 to 20 required for Farro. I also think wheatberries are “chewier” in texture than farro. In terms of recipes, the two can pretty much be used interchangeably so for example, if you have wheat berries and can’t find farro, you could easily substitute it in the recipe – just allow for a longer cooking time and increase the amount of water you cook the wheatberries with – it definitely needs more water to cook (about a 3 or 4:1 ratio!).
I am so glad that you asked this question and I think I may do a post talking about the differences between all these fun grains!!