Surely, you've heard of risotto. Well, when you switch out the rice in risotto with farro, you end up with farrotto. Like rice, the farro grains steep and simmer in a stock, but, unlike arborio rice, there is no need to stir the grains nonstop, which is great for a busy cook. Farro grains have a hearty, chewy texture without the starch found in rice. This means that it won't succumb to mushiness, and each nutty whole-wheat grain maintains its shape while cooking. You can't help but feel healthy when you eat it, and its sturdy wholesomeness makes it an especially satisfying winter dish.

Because farro is so hearty, it teams up nicely with equally earthy ingredients. Umami-rich shiitake mushrooms and sweet, nutty yellow beets are perfect accompaniments to this hefty side dish. For an even more substantial meal, you can add crumbled goat cheese to the farrotto, and call it a vegetarian dinner (just be sure to switch out the chicken stock for mushroom stock). Other sweet root vegetables, such as carrots or rutabagas, may be substituted for the beets.

Farrotto With Shiitake Mushrooms and Yellow Beets

Active time: about 1 hour

Total time: about 1 hour

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small shallot, finely chopped, about 2 tablespoons

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick

Sea salt to taste plus 3/4 teaspoon, divided

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon thyme

1 cup semi-pearled farro, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken stock (or mushroom stock for vegetarian version)

1 medium yellow beet, about 8 ounces, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, plus extra for garnish

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese or feta, optional

Melt the butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, lightly season with salt, and cook until they begin to soften and release their juices, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the farro and cook until slightly toasted, about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed. Add the stock and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer until the farro is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 30 to 40 minutes.

While the farro is cooking, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the beets, 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Spread on a small rimmed baking sheet or in a baking pan and roast in the oven until the beets are tender and golden brown in spots, about 20 minutes.

When the farro is ready, stir in the beets, parsley and black pepper. Serve garnished with additional parsley and crumbled fresh goat cheese, if using.

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Come in from the cold and enjoy some cake. Spiced with ginger and not overly sweet, this coffee cake is light enough to enjoy for breakfast, tea or dessert. A double whammy of ginger, both ground and crystallized, in the topping jazzes up the simple, vanilla-infused cake, which is studded with pears and then covered with a generous layer of streusel. While the cake is delicious warm from the oven, the ginger flavor will intensify as the cake cools -- that is, if you can wait that long.

Pear and Ginger Streusel Cake

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Yield: makes 1 (8-inch) cake; 6 to 8 servings

Topping:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped crystalized ginger

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, in small pieces

Cake:

2 firm pears, peeled, cored, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper and butter the parchment.

Make the streusel: Combine the flour, sugar, gingers and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is pea-sized. Set aside.

For the cake: Toss the pears with the lemon juice in a small bowl.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Cream the sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix to blend. Add the flour mixture; mix on low speed until just combined without overmixing. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Arrange the pears in a concentric pattern over the batter and spread the streusel evenly over the pears.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a rack. Run a knife around the sides of the cake and release the sides of the pan. Cool the cake and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. The cake may be covered and stored at room temperature for up to two days.

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The origins of coq au vin (cock in wine) is steeped in frugality and addressed how to cook a tough rooster by tenderizing the meat with a long braise. The resulting stew was deliciously rich in wine and aromatics, so it's easy to see why this French specialty has transcended time.

Coq au vin is rustic and homey and especially cozy as a winter meal. Nowadays, a roasting chicken is easily substituted for the rooster, and the length of cooking time is somewhat shortened. Nonetheless, the dish is best when left to simmer over low heat or braise in the oven, while the sauce absorbs the flavors of the chicken and aromatics before it's reduced and thickened into a luxuriously rich stew.

In this version, I omit the frequently added bacon and pour in a generous glug of cognac to deglaze the pan and further fortify the stock. Tomato paste brightly rounds out the sauce, and the final touch is a spoonful of brown sugar, which is a useful way to add extra depth to a stew. This is the epitome of winter weekend food, and a perfect way to fill your home with warmth and comforting aromas when it's cold and wet outside.

Coq au Vin: Chicken Braised in Red Wine

Active time: 40 minutes

Total time: 2 hours and 10 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1/3 cup cognac

4 garlic cloves, smashed

2 to 3 large carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 large onion, chopped

8 ounces white mushrooms, halved (quartered if large)

1 (750 ml) bottle full-bodied red wine

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat the oil in an oven-proof pot with a lid or a Dutch oven over medium-high. In batches, add the chicken pieces, skin-side down, and brown, turning once or twice, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

Reduce the heat to medium and carefully add the cognac to the pot (it will sizzle and steam). Stir to deglaze the pot while you let the cognac reduce by about half.

Add the garlic, carrots, onion and mushrooms, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the wine, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves. Return the chicken to the pot and nestle the pieces in the wine. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the pot to the stove top. Remove the chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Boil the sauce over medium heat until reduced by about half and thickened to a sauce consistency, about 20 minutes, skimming the fat. Add the sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pot, and gently simmer to thoroughly heat through.

Serve warm in low bowls with mashed or roasted potatoes.

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