Farro + Pears = Side Dish Heaven From BOKA

Photo by Claire Kelly Nelson

Chef Angie Roberts, who's hands on at BOKA, digs the fig.

Chef Angie Roberts oversees a vast hotel menu at Hotel 1000's BOKA and beyond. That means breakfast, lunch, dinner, bar food and room service. She could play it safe and cater to mainstream palates, but this dish proves she's not afraid to mix things up. Oh, and wondering what farro is? It's a nutty grain that makes rice look as exciting as well... rice. (Just joking. We love rice, but farro's a pretty cool alt starch, too.) Read part one and part two of this week's Grillaxin to learn more about BOKA's culinary path.

Farro with Brown Butter Pears and Cranberries

2 C Farro
2 Bosc Pears
1/2 C Dried Cranberries
1/4 C Unsalted Butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 T Shallots, minced
Juice from half of a lemon
Chives, minced
Kosher Salt

Combine farro, 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and let cook for 20 - 25 minutes until the grains are tender. Remove from the heat and drain.

While the farro is cooking, bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small sauce pan. Turn off the heat. Add dried cranberries to the water. Let stand for 10 minutes until they are plump. Drain.

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter pieces and cook them, swirling the pan, until the solids begin to brown and the butter has a nutty aroma. Pour half of the brown butter into a bowl and reserve. Add the diced pears to the remaining butter in the pan and saute until tender. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

In a large saute pan, heat the reserved brown butter over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook until tender. Add the farro, brown butter pears and cranberries. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture hot. Season with Kosher salt and lemon juice. Divide among four bowls and garnish with chopped chives.

Serves 4.