Farro with Chipotle Glazed Squash, Kale, and Toasted Pepitas
Morita chiles are red, fully mature Chipotles. This gives them a unique, medium – hot smokey flavor which is popular in many Southwestern dishes. These can be added to sauces (including Mole) to add smokey flavor and maintain the red color of the sauces. These peppers are about 2-4 inches in length, 1 inch in width, and have a deep brick reddish brown color. The word Chipotle translated to smoked chile. Consider the Chipotle a 6.5 on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the hottest). Scoville heat units 7,000-25,000.
Suggested Use:
Use Morita in enchilada sauces, chili, stews, barbecue ribs, and corn bread. Their smoky quality combines well with poultry, meats and fall squash.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large lime, juiced
2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
1 teaspoon good quality maple syrup
Salt
1 small acorn squash, washed and dried
¾ cup uncooked semi-pearled faro
1 chipotle pepper, rehydrated in hot water, drained, and finely chopped
1 tablespoon chipotle soaking water
½ bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed and finely chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ cup pepitas, toasted
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
In small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, chipotle soaking water, garlic, maple syrup, and a good pinch of salt. Briefly set aside.
Carefully slice the top and bottom of the squash. Slice the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and stringy insides. Cut the squash horizontally into ¾-inch slices. Arrange the squash on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each slice all over with the oil mixture. (You’ll only need to use about 2 tablespoons total.) Roast for 30 minutes until the squash is fork tender and lightly browned. Cut half of the roasted squash into cubes, leaving the best looking slices intact (they’ll be placed on top of the finished dish).
Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the farro and cook for about 15 minutes until al dente. Strain and set aside until ready to use.
Place the chopped kale in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the chopped chipotle pepper into the remaining oil mixture and pour it over the kale. Using your hands, massage the kale with the dressing for at least 2-3 minutes until it becomes tender and darkens slightly. Set aside.
Heat a small pan/skillet over medium-high heat. When hot add the pepitas and cook for 1-2, shaking the pan regularly, until they’re lightly browned and smell toasty.
Add the diced squash, cooked farro, cilantro and toasted pepitas to the bowl with the massaged kale and toss to combine. Taste and season with a little extra salt and lime juice if necessary.
Transfer to a platter or serving dish and top with the whole squash slices. Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve.
Adapted from a recipe from domesticate-me.com