Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder
Adapted from The New Best Recipe

Serves 6 or so

Ingredients

6 – 8 ears of fresh corn, or a 1 lb bag of whole kernel frozen corn

3 slices quality bacon, chopped small

1 T butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 T all purpose flour

4 c low/no-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup carrots, diced small

1/3 c barley

1 tsp Herbs de Provence (or dried thyme)

1 tsp ground black pepper

½ c heavy cream (or milk or choice)

½ tsp salt

Directions

1.   Cook corn and scrape kernels from cob. If using frozen corn, bring out to thaw.

2.   Place a large pot or dutch oven on medium high heat. Cook bacon until done and getting crisp. Be sure to scrape the bottom as much as possible. If a little sticks don’t worry.

3.   Add garlic and stir 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4.   Add butter, let melt. Sprinkle in flour and whisk until the mixture is creamy and beginning to brown.

5.   Add broth, whisking constantly. Bring to boil and cook 3-5 minutes while stirring.

6.   Add carrots, barley, corn, herbs and pepper. Reduce heat and let simmer, partially covered for 20 – 30 minutes.

7.   When barley is done, turn off heat and stir in heavy cream. Add salt. Stir well then taste. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Note

-Gluten free? Trade rice for barley, or ditch the grain completely.

-You really can't mess this up...add and onion in with the bacon. Ditch the bacon. Add a diced potato in place of barley. You get the picture...Enjoy! 

Beet and Farro Salad

Beet and Farro Salad 

Makes 8 side salads or 4 dinner salads

Ingredients

1/2 c extra virgin olive oil

1/3 c balsamic dressing

2 T grainy mustard

1 pound baby beets, cooked (or canned)

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

½ c farro

½ c Gorgonzola cheese

1 c pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped

1 apple, diced 

Directions

1)    Preheat oven to 400 F.

2)    Make vinaigrette: Mix oil, vinegar and mustard with a whisk or shake in a capped mason jar.

3)    Cut COOKED beets into 1” chunks and spread onto a cookie sheet. Place in oven for 5-8 minutes. Remove from oven and place in a bowl. Add dressing and cooked farro to bowl and let sit at least 10 minutes.   

4)    Place lettuce, pecans, cheese and apple in a salad bowl. Once done soaking, pour the beets, farro and dressing onto salad. Toss lightly to combine. Serve! 

Notes

-What's farro, you say? It's a whole grain, a form of wheat. Most grocery stores now carry it, and some specialty stores have it in bulk. Be sure to follow the package's directions when you cook it! Some farro is "pearled" and it can be cooked in 15 minutes. Other brands are not pearled and that takes about 50 minutes of boiling. Easy, yes, but you need to plan for that cook time. 

-This salad might take awhile if you start from scratch right when you want to eat it. But if you plan ahead it's a great use for leftovers! You can pre-toast the nuts, use precooked beets and stash frozen cooked grains in your freezer. Done right, this is a quick meal! 

-I used Trader Joe’sprecooked baby beets.  So convenient! But you can roast your own beets, just roast peeled, cut raw beets about 40 minutes in the oven at 400 with a little olive oil. 

  

-Not into romaine? Try spinach, arugula, and/or watercress for a different take on this salad.

-Make this salad gluten free by subbing wild rice for farro.