Broccoli rabe is one of those vegetables that people either love or hate. An acquired taste, the subtle pungent bitterness of this healthy green fits with any main course. Farro’s nuttiness rounds out this simple and rustic side. It also makes a fine vegetarian dinner.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farro, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover. Simmer until the farro is tender and the grains have split open, about 30 minutes. Remove the farro from the pot with a spider strainer or mesh sieve, put it in a colander, and rinse with cool water. Set aside. Keep the cooking water in the pot.
Step 2
Bring the cooking liquid back up to a boil and season again with salt. The farro will have soaked up much of the original seasoning. Boil the broccoli rabe until just tender, about 3 minutes. It should still be firm as it will finish cooking in the skillet. Drain in a colander.
Step 3
Set a large skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute to soften. Add the broccoli rabe and red pepper; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Toss the rabe to coat with the oil and cook until tender, roughly 5 minutes. Add the drained farro, tossing to combine, and sauté for another minute until heated through.
Step 4
To serve, put the broccoli rabe and farro on a nice platter. Finely grate lemon zest over the top, preferably with a Microplane. (I find if you grate the zest ahead of time, it gets clumpy and doesn’t distribute evenly.)
