Bluebird Grain Farms

Place the farro, water and salt in a medium or large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the leek slices in a bowl of cold water and swish them around to wash out any grit. Lift the slices out into a colander to drain. Wash the baby turnips, remove the tops and them aside. Cut the roots into quarters (if using a larger turnip, chop into about half inch pieces).

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, butter, chickpeas, leek, turnip roots, lemon zest and juice, vinegar, honey, bay leaves, cumin seed, turmeric, smoked paprika and ½ teaspoon salt, and stir occasionally until everything sizzles (about 3 minutes). Transfer this mixture to a large rimmed baking sheet, spread in an even layer, and roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

After the farro has simmered for 45 minutes, remove the lid and roughly tear the baby turnip greens into large pieces into the simmering farro. Replace the lid and cook for just 30 seconds to 1 minute to blanch the greens. Turn off the heat, drain the farro & greens and return to the pot. Scoop the cooked chickpea mixture into the farro and stir to combine well. Top each serving with coarse flake salt and fresh ground pepper.

Chef Peter Witt's journey to professional cooking has been anything but traditional. For 30 years he owned a management consulting firm. But after selling his consulting company, he started a private chef business as a way of blending his penchant for entertaining with his passion for gardening. A long-time gardener, Peter grew heirloom vegetables and sought out ways to serve his garden’s bounty with fresh, locally-sourced meats, grains, and other products from around the Pacific Northwest. For a number of years he spent summers in Alaska working at a lodge owned by Princess Cruises, supervising other chefs cooking for large groups. “I always kept my hand in the actual cooking, though,” he says, as he describes getting involved in cooking meals for Princess Cruise employees.

In 2007, Peter, who had long been an advocate for food quality and safety, sponsored a forum that featured organic farming in the Pacific Northwest. Having seen the documentary "Good Food" that highlights Bluebird Grain Farms, Peter invited Brooke Lucy to participate in his forum. "She brought samples," Peter laughs, "and I was hooked."

Not only did Peter become committed to Bluebird Grains (he is partial to Split Emmer and Old World Cereal, which he breakfasts on nearly every morning, and he claims that working with Emmer Flour dough is "so much fun you can hardly wait to get your hands on it!"), he also remained dedicated to local food systems that support health and the environment. "People are concerned about food safety," he says, "We simply feel more secure with foods that are fresh, local, and unprocessed." Peter describes a food council that he'd like to create, which would connect food systems to energy and water usage and other global concerns.

An enthusiastic host, Peter focuses on cooking intimate dinners for groups of four to twenty people. "I like entertaining," he says, "and when I put on an event I want people to feel good about being there and to enjoy every bite." The secret of pulling off this feat, he says, is to use the best ingredients he can get his hands on and to employ a variety of cooking techniques. Classically trained in French-Provencal cuisine, Peter complements superb ingredients with "exquisite sauces that bring out the essential flavors of the main ingredients." He mentions chutneys, fresh carrot and ginger sauces, and other sauces that harmonize and highlight the Pacific Northwest foods he favors, such as Dungeness Crab and salmon. "I'm constantly experimenting with food," he says. Whether he's catering private chef tables or teaching cooking classes, Peter keeps Split Farro close at hand. "It's very versatile," he says. "It can easily substitute for rice. It's amazing what flavors it adds to a dish."

Peter's food caught the eye of fitness trainers in Olympia recently, when he was invited to cook for clients and staff at Progressive Body Training Systems. Peter featured a sample low-fat nutritious meal using his favorite Bluebird Grain Farms products: Split Emmer Farro and Old World Cereal. "I cooked the Old World Cereal with cinnamon, vanilla, raisins, and walnuts," he says, "and everyone kept telling me 'this could be a dessert!'" His split farro tuna-asparagus wrap was as big a success; a blend of yogurt and split farro acted as a binder for the tuna and lightly steamed asparagus and it was reportedly "the hit of the evening." The meals demonstrated how the use of local heirloom grains can enhance fitness training and nutrition programs.

"Each ingredient and every dish has a story to tell," says Peter. We're betting that Dover Point Gourmet's edible story is one you'll want to hear again and again.

For more information about Chef Peter Witt and Dover Point Gourmet Private Chefs, visit his website.