Little Red Stove

If we’re being honest here, and as I said in my last recipe, I never lie: these next few posts are such a bonus for you all (ya’ll? Going between Virginia and New York). They are recipes within recipes within recipes.
You can take anything out of this and serve it solo, with a different side or different vegetables, or make it exactly as the meal that I intended. The world belongs to you, what a time to be alive!

Now that the weather is getting warmer, I walked into my nearest food store positively elated to see all of the produce.
Tomatoes, asparagus, and herbs oh my.
This recipe brings together everything about the new season that makes cooking and eating so enjoyable: freshness, bright flavors, and an abundance of color.

Let’s start by marinating that chicken. Feel free to use whichever cuts you like best, but I need to include both light and dark meat lest I be banished from the dinner table.

You will need for the chicken and marinade:
2 chicken breasts and 4 legs (or any combination that delights you)
2 lemons, zested, juiced, and their remnants
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
4 garlic cloves, grated
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
Salt and Pepper (please for all that is good and right, do not be afraid of salt)

Pop all of that into a bowl and whisk together, marinade overnight if you can, if not do not fret: marinade as long as you can the day of, and let come to room temperature for about an hour before roasting.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees and roast all of it on a sheet pan until a thermometer in the thickest part of the meat reads 165 degrees. Let it cool before you burn your mouth, ya animal.

Let’s not forget the best part of all meals, the side. Farro is like rice’s tastier and more substantial cousin.

You will need:
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3 cloves of finely chopped garlic
1 handful of fresh mint, chopped
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 bunch of fresh asparagus
4 cups cooked farro (about 2 cups uncooked), according to package instructions
1 cup mesclun greens
1/2 cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese (or more if you’re my kinda person)

Combine the tomatoes, garlic, lemon zest and juice, mint, red pepper flake, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
When the farro is cooking in the boiling water, add in the asparagus to blanch for just 2 minutes or until bright green. Pull out the asparagus, and let the farro enjoy it’s bath. I don’t love creating more dishes than I need to.
Chop the asparagus into more manageable chunks, and add to the tomatoes.

While the farro is hot, toss into the tomato/vegetable mixture. The heat will work it’s magic on the garlic, lemon and mint.
After it has cooled to room temperature, mix in the mesclun greens and top with shaved parmesan.

I like serving this with extra lemon wedges, both fresh or roasted from the chicken, for those of us who enjoy a little zip in their salad.

Let the magic happen…

Spring has sprung, ya’ll.