Motley Stew

potholes and soup pots

Welcome back Broiler Heads to another week in the kitchen. Before we get to the recipe, I just wanted to thank everyone for taking the time to come back here and let us know how much y’all loved last week’s soup. Your comments were just what we needed to warm up after days of torrential rain here in LA. Everything was drenched, flooded, or leaking. I hit a pothole so large on my way to work that I was surprised I didn’t end up in an episode of Land of the Lost. So, thanks to everyone for the feedback. We adore the little community we’re building here and hope you guys do too.

Continuing our soup series, this week’s recipe is somewhere between a potato leek and a vegetable chowder; a kind of fill your belly and warm up your house kind of meal. You cook the pearled farro or barley (whatever you’ve got) right in the broth which makes the dish extra silky and indulgent without a spot of cream. If you’ve got great knife skills or an extra hand in the kitchen, this soup should come together in less than 40 minutes from chopping to chomping. That ought to leave you plenty of time to watch The Big Brunch or whatever show you’re currently binging. Got a recommendation on what you think we should binge while another soup simmers on the stovetop? Drop it in the comments.

Leek and Potato Chowder with Farro

Makes enough for 4-6

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 medium leeks, diced

4 ribs of celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 parsnip, diced

3 medium russet potatoes, peeled or not, and diced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

5 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ cup pearled farro or barley

6 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice, whatever is handy

¼ cup minced chives or green onions 

Salt and pepper to taste

Chives or green onions to top

Warm up a large soup pot over a medium high heat and add olive oil. Throw in the leeks with a pinch of salt and sauté until they start to soften and brown, about 5-7 minutes. Fold in the celery, carrots, and parsnip and sauté around for another 3 minutes so that everything starts warming up. Add the potato with some salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, soy sauce, garlic, oregano, and farro and sauté until everything smells amazing and the tomato paste is no longer in a large chunk and starts to caramelize, another 3-5 minutes. Pour in a little of the broth and scrape off any of the burnt stuff on the bottom of the pot, that’s just flavor and we want all of that shit. Then add the rest of the broth.

Once the pot reaches a simmer, turn down the heat to medium low and let it cook, stirring it occasionally, until the farro and potato are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the nutritional yeast, red wine vinegar, chives, and taste. Add whatever you think it needs to get it how you like. 

Serve it warm, topped with minced chives, and some crusty bread on the side. The farro will absorb some of the broth as it sits, so if you like it thick, just wait a couple minutes. If you want some added protein, fold in some cooked navy or butter beans and enjoy an extra thick and comforting stew. Add some water or broth when you reheat leftovers as needed.

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Thanks again for joining us in The Broiler Room. We’ll be back next with another soup and more hot takes. See y’all then.

Michelle (and Matt)