Take the Chill off

I recently discovered farro kale soup at a wonderful restaurant in Portland called Luce.  I couldn’t wait to try it at home, which I did this evening.  I made a soup base with about 1/3 cup of olive oil (from Ovino for those in the Gorge), a couple of medium onions, a carrot, and a single celery stalk–all finely chopped.  I added a few slices of chopped pancetta and let it brown, and then added garbanzo beans, and a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes (and a little bit of pepper and sea salt).  After a few minutes of allowing these flavors to blend, I added around seven cups of chicken broth, two small bunches of chopped kale (with ribs removed), and 1 cup of farro.  Bring to a boil for five minutes and then let it simmer for about an hour.  Grate some fresh parmesan, heat up a loaf of bread, and pour yourself a delicious glass of Cathedral Ridge Dampier Pinot Noir.  Add one more dash of good olive oil to each bowl of soup before serving. Dinner by the fireplace optional, but highly recommended.   -AG