It's ridiculous how little I've been keeping up with Tummy, lets just say and I'm sure all you new parents will understand, that having a baby can keep you quite busy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So yes, we've been ordering in a lot and cooking hell of a lot less I am sad to say. But, now my little guy is 4 months old and it's been getting easier to do normal things like cooking, not to say I've been doing it a lot, I just said easier. Last night Mr. Borscht came home just a little bit earlier from work than usual so that I could cook for a change- and a welcome change this is after ordering in for 4 months straight.
I decided to make something relatively simple but delicious and healthy, Basil Pesto Farro with Zucchini and steamed white fish < all of which I've never made before, so although it was pretty simple it was still pretty nerve-racking. I wanted my first home-made dinner to be at least good after all, but I will spare you the suspense and let you know now that it all turned out fantastic, had it not I'm not sure I'd waste my precious time posting about a dinner gone wrong.
Farro is one of my new favorite things right now, a chewy, nutty grain I just can't get enough of at the moment. I was able to find quick cooking farro at Trader Joe's, awesome! So let's begin, the dinner starts with white fish, quick cooking farro, basil pesto, and zuchinni.
INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEEDS (serves 4ish):
Farro (roughly two cups) or 1 bag of Quick Cooking Farro (from Trader Joe's)
4 cups of vegetable broth to simmer the farro in (or you can use water as well but it will probably be less flavorable)
2 zucchinis quartered lengthwise then sliced (I used 1 yellow and 1 green, but you can choose to your liking)
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (and a few smaller leaves for garnish if you'd like)
3 tablespoons of pine nuts
3 cloves of garlic
Olive oil
Salt + Pepper to taste
Pecorino Romano grated
Two filets of white fish
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Steamer
food processor
RECIPE:
1. In a pan heat olive oil on med high heat then add the zucchinis. Lightly salt and pepper the zucchinis and stirring occasionally, cook the zucchinis until they are slightly browned and fully cooked. The zucchinis are done when the texture is soft with a bite. Take the zucchinis off the heat and set aside to cool.
2. Bring a pot with the vegetable broth and farro to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the farro and set aside.
3. Line your bamboo steamer (if you are using one) with parchment paper and steam the fish for 10 minutes or when done (the sharp end of a knife should go through the fish with ease).
4. While you are steaming your fish, make your pesto by chopping the garlic in the food processor. Add the pine nuts, basil and two pinches of salt- process until finely chopped. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil as the food processor runs until you have reached the consistency that you desire. I like mine a little runny so that it is easier to mix into the farro. Once you've reached the consistency that you like mix in the grated pecorino a little bit at a time until you have reached the taste and consistency you like. I only used 1 tablespoon.
5. Fold in the zucchini into the farro, then add the pesto to farro and zucchini and mix together carefully but thoroughly.
6. When your fish is done steaming, salt and pepper the fish and drizzle with olive oil. I know this seems plain but trust me, when you steam fish the flavor is fantastic and you really not do much to add flavor. Plus the simple taste of the fish with the pesto farro is a great pair.
