Creamy Farro With Crispy Mushrooms and Sour Cream alison roman

  • ¼ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 4 medium leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
  • 1 pound mix of mushrooms, such as maitake, oyster, cremini or chanterelle, torn into bite-size pieces (about 5 cups)
  •  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ¾ cups pearled or semi-pearled farro or barley
  • 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • ½ cup finely chopped chives (from about 1 bunch)
  • 1 cup fresh dill leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for squeezing
  •  Sour cream, for serving
  1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the leeks and half the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and crisped, 12 to 15 minutes. (They will start giving off moisture and steaming a little before this happens, so be patient.)
  2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a medium bowl leaving any olive oil behind. (They will have absorbed the oil as they cook, and released it back as they crisp.) Add a bit more olive oil so there’s another 1/4 cup or so in the pot. Cook the remaining leeks and mushrooms, adding them to the bowl with the other mushrooms.
  3. Without wiping the pot, add farro and season with salt and pepper. Cook over that same medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until farro is toasted on the outside (it will go from pale golden brown to a toastier golden brown), about 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth and 2 cups water; season with salt and pepper.
  4. Bring to a strong simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until farro is fully cooked and most (but not all) of the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. It should still look a bit loose, like risotto or a porridge. Remove from heat and add half the chives.
  5. Toss dill, remaining chives and lemon zest together in a small bowl. To serve, season farro with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Top with sour cream, mushrooms and leeks, and dill mixture. Serve lemon wedges alongside for squeezing.

chocolate lava cake for two from NYTimes.com

  • 3 ounces/85 grams bittersweet chocolate, 70 to 74 percent cacao (not chips), chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus more for the ramekin
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more for the ramekin
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  •  Confectioners’ sugar, to serve (optional)
  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees and butter a 10-ounce ramekin. Dust the buttered ramekin with granulated sugar.
  2. Combine the chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter in a heat-safe bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, combine in a bowl and microwave in 30-second blasts, stirring in between, until melted and smooth, about 1 minute.) Remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons sugar, egg, egg yolk, vanilla and salt. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick, foamy and pale, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour until smooth.
  4. Using a spatula, add the chocolate to the egg mixture and stir gently until combined.
  5. Pour the mixture into the ramekin. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are set and puffed, but the center is still soft when lightly pressed. (You can also cover and refrigerate the batter up to a day in advance. Add an additional minute or 2 to baking time if you are baking the cake directly from the refrigerator.)
  6. Use an offset spatula or small knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the ramekin. Place a plate over the ramekin and carefully invert the warm cake. Use an oven mitt or clean kitchen towel to remove the ramekin, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.