Skip to main content

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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

(She) Blinded Me With...Citrus

Excuse my attempt at tying today's blog entry with an iconic Thomas Dolby song.  What a terrible pun-ishment. Har har har. So, we're on the backside of Winter Vacation/Christmas Break/Holiday Hiatus here.  The kids return to school tomorrow, the freshman and I start back to our respective colleges next Monday. The clock is ticking and suddenly, I am whipped into frenzy to Get Work Done.  I suspect this phenomenon happens to many, many educators who try to avoid that panic-stricken night before they go back to work. And believe me when I say, I had the deepest, most earnest of intentions to write lesson plans, write quizzes, and generally prepare for the restart of my classes next week.  Like, really. And then...I was distracted by...citrus.  This happened. Okay, so....the lemons on the far right are no big deal.  They're available year-round.  But Meyer lemons...MEYER...I only find around here in the winter.  I first read about them i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Booze for Thought

So.  Every now and then, I feel compelled to talk about something else besides food here at TTOSBF. Today, the topic is alcohol. I enjoy it.  Probably more than I really should, if I may lay the truth out there at my dear readers' feet. Sometimes it's a clever craft beer or a comforting gin and tonic.  I've realized lately that I often reach for the bottles in the liquor cabinet when I'm a.) bored b.) stressed c.) in a boozy social situation or d.) feel like I need a little reward for surviving (thus far) this Trump presidency. Huh.  As it turns out, most of my life these days moves within the realm of one or more of these four conditions. So, I was drinking often.  Every day. And here was the big epiphany: once I started drinking, my productivity went in the toilet.  Don't jump to conclusions, I hardly ever drank myself into a stupor...but I'd get the strong buzz going for sure.  Then, I was near useless.  I wanted to eat everything i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Spaghetti Cake

Yes. You read that right.  Keep reading, friends, it's about to get good. Photo by Brent Nelson...who doesn't quite know about shadows and things in photography. Photo by your trusty author, who doesn't quite know about taking knockout food pictures. So, the caboose (Elliot) was in charge of meals this weekend...as part of his requirement for one of his Boy Scout badges.  Even though we'd be eating meals easy for a 12-year-old to put together (usually not healthy), I was totally ready to hand over the reins for the weekend. Saturday night's dinner was supposed to be simple.  Spaghetti.  But then, I remembered I had Justin's Chapple's Mad Tips article for Pasta Bundt Loaf .  I handed that over to the Boy Scout...and things just got awesome. The ingredients here seem to be a cross between those of a lasagna and an alfredo.  One pound of spaghetti noodles is cooked, and to which a bunch of cheese, milk, eggs, and seasonings are added.  All...
Post a Comment
Read more