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Getting On With the Alphabet...R!

 R-r-r-r-r-r-apini!

Whenever I come across some unusual piece of produce not often seen in these parts, I don't hesitate to snatch it up.  Buy first, recipe later...is what I say.

I've bought enough kale, spinach, parsley, etc., to know that this bunch of greens was none of those things.  And so without further ado, I snatched these up.

At home, research informed me that rapini is actually marketed more frequently as broccoli rabe...and that, I'd heard of.  But, I'd never fixed it.

Until now.

As it turns out, broccoli rabe is much less like broccoli, and more like kale.  I originally thought I'd sauté it with garlic and olive oil and throw it in with some farro for a nice side dish.
 
Alas.  I've been laid rather low with a cold the past 
couple of days.  The farro thing never quite came to
fruition...just didn't have the energy.  But - soup.  Yeah.  Just the thing for a cold, right?

Modifications on a farro-white bean-swiss chard soup turned up on our table for dinner tonight.

Farro.
Chickpeas.
Rapini.

I personally love soups like these.  Along with a cup or two of diced tomatoes, some julienned onions, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and bay leaf...these three ingredients formed a bowlful of goodness.  Everything delicious and nutritious was present: vegetables (lots!) and protein (chickpeas).

What I did:

1. Lightly sauté the onions first over medium-high heat  Add in the chopped rapini greens after onions have softened.  Toss around until greens have wilted.

2. Pour six to eight cups of chicken broth or water over the cooked vegetables.  Add tomatoes and drained chickpeas.

***At this point I removed from the heat and stored in the refrigerator, so that my family could reheat and finish later since I wouldn't be home from work until after six.

3. Bring the soup to a simmer and add in a cup of farro.  Let simmer for 20-25 minutes until farro is chewy.

4. Serve with parmesan.

5. Take a picture.  I always forget to do that because I'm too busy eating it.

This pretty little soup has a date with dinner destiny.

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