Treat your family to a new dish: Farro

Farro
To make about 5 cups of cooked farro, heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Chop, then add 1 small onion, 1 small carrot, and 1 small stalk of celery. Season with salt and pepper and stir the vegetables to coat them with the oil. Cover the pot and lower the heat. Cook the vegetables until they soften, about 10 minutes. Add 2 cups of farro. Stir to coat it with the oil and vegetable juices. Add enough water to cover by about 1⁄2 inch. Raise the heat and bring the water to a boil, then adjust the heat so the farro simmers. Cook the farro until it is tender, about 20 minutes, adding more water if the pot looks dry. Remove and discard the aromatic vegetables. Serve warm as you would rice or at room temperature.

Winter farro salad
Blanch the carrot and leek in a large pot of heavily salted water, cooking just until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool in ice water. Combine the carrot, leek, thyme, and farro in a bowl. Dress with the oil and vinegar to taste. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Put the squash in a bowl with the oil and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to coat and then transfer the squash to a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 20 minutes. Allow the squash to cool to room temperature.

While the squash cools, cut the bacon into short strips about as wide as the bacon slices are thick — lardons. Put them in a large skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 7 minutes. Set aside in the pan.

Put the squash in a large mixing bowl. Tear the lettuce into manageable pieces. Add the lettuce to the bowl with the squash. Tilt the salad bowl and, using a fork, smear the Gorgonzola onto the exposed side of the bowl (toward the bottom). Season the lettuce and squash with salt and pepper and sprinkle with vinegar. With the bowl tilted, pour the warm bacon fat with the lardons over the cheese. Let the salad sit for a minute or so.

Using your hands, toss the salad to mix the lettuce and squash with the melty cheese. Keep at it until all the cheese is incorporated. Adjust the seasoning if necessary with salt, pepper, and vinegar and serve.