Oh, farro. You’re an ancient grain with a bad rap for being tricky to cook, but your nutty flavor, delicate chew and versatility make you worth a second look.

This is precisely why I went off Googling recipes when I found a package of it while cleaning out our kitchen cupboard recently.

Here’s a time-saving tip: Knock out the farro salad while the pork is cooking in the oven, and you’ll have a delicious dinner on the table in just about an hour.

Citrus-Cumin Pork Chops with Farro 

(Recipe adapted from Food Network Kitchen)

Ingredients: 

• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 pork chops
• 2 tbsp honey
• Juice of one orange
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 cup farro
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 10 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Season pork chops on both sides with cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Place in baking dish.
3. Drizzle with honey and orange juice, and place in oven to bake for 30 mins.
4. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in saucepan and add red onion. Stir for 5 mins
5. Add farro, water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 25 mins.
6. After oven timer has gone off, flip pork chops and bake for another 30 mins
7. After farro is tender, stir in Brussels sprouts and cook until tender, another 5 mins
8. Dish farro mixture equally onto 4 plates, top with a pork chop and drizzle with pan juices.

Here’s a look at the process: Start by sautéing onion in the pan with olive oil.

Be sure to buy the semi-pearled farro variety, meaning it cooks up quickly, and without any pre-soaking, in about 25 minutes.

Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until grains are tender.

The Brussels sprouts add some nice spice — plus they’e a great way to sneak some greens into your meal.

The warmth from the farro will help soften the sprouts, so you’ll only need to cook them for a few minutes.

Once the pork is done, plate it over a bed of the farro mixture and drizzle pan juices over the entire plate for extra flavor.

What other off-the-beaten-path ingredients do you enjoying incorporating into meals?