Roasted Acorn Squash Farrotto with Mushrooms, Gruyère, and Gremolata

Cooking Steps

1. 

   Prepare ingredients

   Preheat oven to 450°F. In a small pot, combine vegetable stock and ¼ cup water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Then, remove from heat and cover to keep warm until Step 4. Halve squash lengthwise. Using a large spoon, scoop out and discard seeds. Cut crosswise into ½-inch half-moons, then cut into ½-inch pieces. Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel and cut into ¼-inch slices.

2. 

   Roast squash and mushrooms

   On a baking sheet, toss squash and mushrooms with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper as desired. Arrange in a single layer and roast until crispy, 18-20 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse remaining produce. Pat kale dry with a paper towel, then thinly slice crosswise, discarding stems. Peel onion, halve, and cut into small dice. Mince garlic.

3. 

   Sauté aromatics and toast farro

   Heat 2 packets butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. When butter is foamy, add onion and half of garlic and sauté, stirring, until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add farro and cook, stirring, until toasted, 2-3 minutes (toasting the farro adds a delicious nutty flavor and prevents it from absorbing liquid too quickly).

4. 

   Simmer farro

   Stir wine into toasted farro and simmer until mostly absorbed, 1 minute. Add warmed stock and water and season with ½ teaspoon salt. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and farro is tender, 13-15 minutes. Add kale and stir to wilt.

5. 

   Make gremolata

   While farro simmers, thinly slice chives. Finely chop parsley leaves, discarding stems. If you have a zester on hand and want to infuse your gremolata with even more flavor, rinse lemon and zest up to ½. Halve lemon. In a small bowl, stir together chives, parsley, lemon zest (if using), juice of ½ lemon, remaining garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt (use remaining lemon to brighten a glass of water).

6. 

   Plate acorn squash farrotto

   Add Gruyère, roasted squash and mushrooms, and remaining butter to pot with farro and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Divide acorn squash farrotto between serving bowls. Dollop over gremolata, then swirl in with the back of a spoon. Dig in!