Farro with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, and Pomegranate Seeds

• 1 cup semi-pearled or regular farro
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Medium onion, halved and halves cut into 1/4 inch wedges
• Salt
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into half-inch cubes (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/3 cup shelled, raw walnuts
• 3 cups packed, roughly chopped kale (stems removed before chopping)
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• Fresh Meyer lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Combine farro with 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until grains are nearly tender (about 20 minutes). Add one teaspoon salt, stir and simmer until grains are tender (another 10 minutes or so). Drain excess water, then place grains into a large bowl and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss onion with enough oil to lightly coat, but not soak. Spread across a baking sheet and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Toss sweet potato with oil in a similar fashion and spread on a separate sheet pan. Sprinkle with cumin, coriander and a pinch of salt. Place both baking sheets in the oven and roast until vegetables are tender and onions have begun to brown. The onions will be done before the sweet potatoes. Stir and turn vegetables at least once during cooking.

When vegetables are nearly done roasting, spread walnuts on a third sheet (or in an oven-safe dish, if you've run out of baking sheets) and toast until they have darkened in color and are fragrant (place your nose close, but not too close, to the pan to take a whiff), about 5 to 8 minutes. Keep a watchful eye on the nuts as they will quickly burn in a hot oven. If you prefer, wait until vegetables have finished cooking and been removed from the oven. Turn the temperature down and toast the nuts. When nuts are done, cool completely, then roughly chop into small pieces.

While vegetables and nuts cook, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add kale and garlic and lightly sauté until kale has wilted but is still bright green in color. Stir to cook evenly. Scrape cooked greens mixture into the bowl with farro. Add sweet potato and onion. Fold the ingredients together, then drizzle with a bit of fruity extra virgin olive oil to moisten (a tablespoon or so) plus lemon juice to taste (about one tablespoon, or less if you are using ordinary lemon juice). Taste and add more salt as needed, plus a few grinds of fresh pepper. Gently stir in walnuts and pomegranate seeds.

Serves 3-4.

VERDICT:  I cooked the farro according to the package directions, put the onion and sweet potato on one pan, and roasted the walnuts in the microwave, and everything turned out just fine.  I had somewhat more farro and sweet potato than called for ended up with WAY more than four servings.  Good hot, also not bad cold. Keep.