Recreating Canele's Fried Farro & Poached Eggs

I categorically should not be blogging right now. There are a million and one things I need to do to prep for my trip this week including planning a lesson for 35 eighth grade kids on the original intent of passages of the Declaration of Independence (that funky old language is a hindrance to the comprehension of this text messaging generation) and a second lesson for 30 adults on something as yet undecided in physical science. However this breakfast was such a success, I couldn't wait to share.

A few weeks back when my friend Jessica was in town we went to Canele in Atwater Village for brunch and I love love loved their fried farro. Several people think Canele is the best brunch in town and I would agree with the sole reservation being that I am not super brunchy. I prefer to stay home and cook most weekend mornings. At any rate, I had planned to take Karla to Canele for this amazebrunch, already with the fried farro in mind since I am a repeat orderer. After an epic Saturday evening that started at El Compadre and ended at Three Clubs with stop offs at The Tasting Kitchen, a Furious Seasons show, Boa, and some very drunk and very friendly stranger's bachelorette party at Trousdale we ended up spending Sunday morning asleep instead of at Canele. But I was determined to have my fried farro with poached eggs. Time to cook!

This recipe was conceived in my head as I progressed, so just follow along.

Cook farro according to package directions, drain and set aside. Canele has the most amazing bacon in their fried farro, it was chunky like a lardon and melted in my mouth. I used the thickest cut bacon I could find, which I surprisingly found at the ghetto Von's by my house. Cook until just before crisp. I wanted a meaty texture, not crunchy.

After cooking the bacon, set aside on paper towels to drain and cool. Reserve a couple tablespoons of bacon fat in the hot pan, toss the rest. Throw in the garlic briefly, let it brown slightly.

The allium genus trifecta: shallots, garlic and green onions. Add shallots to the pan and any vegetable matter you might fancy. Canele's fried farro had kale, but if I wasn't making it to Canele I most certainly wasn't going to the grocery store. I cleaned out the produce drawer in the fridge coming up with crookneck squash and a zucchini.

Chop vegetables into small pieces appropriate for a fried rice dish, small cubes. My cubes were smaller then they look in this snap.

Add veg to pan and saute for maybe ten minutes or so. You want to cook it past the soggy point, some of the water in the vegetables you use will preferably cook off so your veg mass will be fairly dry and maybe even ever so slightly caramelized on the outside with the shallots, garlic and bacon fat making an almost sticky consistency.

Add the farro and bacon.

Cook stirring frequently until the grain starts slightly sticking to the bottom of the pan. Scrape all grain from the pan, the scrapey bits are pure heaven. Eat with your fingers when no one is looking.

Top with two perfectly poached eggs and eat now. 

I admit mine is not as good as Canele's. D and Karla both commented there's no way Canele's fried farro is better but a) they were hungover and someone was cooking for them while they lounged around the house and b) they haven't had Canele's. Canele's has a special flavor from something I didn't identify at the time and cannot remember. I do remember it had a nice roasted garlic flavor. Last week I even roasted some garlic for this purpose and set it aside, garlic which I am sure made it into the garbage during my absence in Paso Robles last week. Nevermind, my outcome was delicious and will definitely be repeated chez moi some other Sunday morning.