Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash

["Recipe courtesy of\u00a0Executive Chef Karl Mace<\/strong>,\u00a0Union Bluff Hotel<\/a>, York, ME<\/em>","Recipe courtesy of\u00a0Executive Chef Karl Mace<\/strong>,\u00a0

Ingredients

2 cups farro, rinsed and drained
2 tsp. fine-grain sea salt
5 cups water (or stock)
3 cups butternut squash, cut into ½ inch dice
1 large red onion cut into 1/8ths
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, minced
3 Tbsp. California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 cup walnuts, deeply toasted
3 Tbsp. California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375.
Combine the farro, salt, and water in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender, 45 minutes to an hour, or about half the time if you are using semi-pearled farro. Taste often as it is cooking, you want it to be toothsome and retain structure. Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and set aside.
While the farro is cooking toss the squash, onion, and thyme with 3 tablespoons of California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a couple big pinches of salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer and place in the oven for about 20 minutes. Toss the squash and onions every 5-7 minutes to get browning on multiple sides. Remove from the oven, let cool a bit, and mince just 1/2 of the red onions.
In a large bowl gently toss everything (except the goat cheese) with 3 tablespoons of California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil. Taste and add a bit of salt if necessary. Serve family-style in a simple bowl or on a platter garnished with the goat cheese.