Recipes Vegetable Farro Stew with Figs and Pine Nuts 1 Review "I'm not a vegetarian," says chef Grant Achatz. "But at home I mainly eat grains and vegetables." His minimalist slow-cooker stew features farro, eggplant, artichokes and three kinds of pepper, and is sweetened with dried figs and raisins. Slideshow: Hearty Stews By Grant Achatz Grant Achatz Instagram Chef Grant Achatz is one of the most awarded and recognized chefs in the world. Known for his innovative, emotional, and modernist style of cuisine, he has been named Best Chef in the United States by the James Beard Foundation, honored by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, and has given talks and lectures on gastronomy and design at conferences and universities around the world.Grant began working in restaurants as soon as he could walk. His parents owned a diner in Michigan, and he spent his childhood years working alongside his family. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America at age 21, Grant spent a short time at Charlie Trotter's before finding his mentor in chef Thomas Keller at the French Laundry. Grant worked for a total of 5 years at the French Laundry, eventually rising to sous chef. During his time in California, he also spent a year working at La Jota vineyards. A short stage at elBulli in Roses, Spain was exceptionally influential and led Grant to seek out his first executive chef position at Trio in Evanston, IL. It was there that his creativity and desire to innovate flourished. In 2002 and 2003, respectively, Grant was recognized by Food & Wine Magazine as one of the nation's Best New Chefs and named the Rising Star Chef by the James Beard Foundation. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 1, 2014 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Christina Holmes Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 6 hrs 30 mins Yield: 6 Ingredients 2 rosemary sprigs 5 oregano sprigs 5 thyme sprigs 2 small artichokes 1 cup farro 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 1/2 cups tomato juice 1/2 cup water 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 heads of garlic, 1/4 inch cut off the tops 1 lemon, sliced 1/8 inch thick 1 Cubanelle pepper, sliced 1/3 inch thick 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced 1/3 inch thick 1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced 1/3 inch thick 1 medium onion, quartered 1 large Japanese eggplant, cut into 6 wedges 1 cup dried Black Mission figs (5 ounces), stemmed 1/2 cup golden raisins 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 6 wedges 1/2 pound large cherry tomatoes, halved 1 small green zucchini, cut into 2-inch pieces 1 small yellow squash, cut into 2-inch pieces 6 ounces kale, stemmed and leaves quartered Toasted pine nuts, chopped fresh oregano, lemon wedges, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and sherry vinegar, for garnish Directions Using kitchen twine, tie the rosemary, oregano and thyme sprigs into a bundle. With a serrated knife, cut off the top third of the artichokes. Snap off the small leaves from around the artichoke stem. Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise. With a spoon, scrape out the hairy chokes and discard them. Turn a 6- to 61/2-quart slow cooker to high and set the timer for 6 hours. Add the artichokes and the next 17 ingredients, up to and including the cherry tomatoes, then add the herb bundle; spread the ingredients in even layers. Cover the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours. Stir the stew gently and add the zucchini, yellow squash and kale, stirring to submerge them in the liquid. Cover and cook for 2 hours longer. Discard the herb bundle, season the farro stew with salt and serve with the garnishes at the table. Suggested Pairing Herb-scented, light-bodied Italian red. Rate it Print