Cooking at home, especially the relentless task of figuring out what to make for dinner multiple times a week, is undervalued labor. Cooking doesn’t start at the cutting board. It starts with keeping a mental inventory of what everyone you’re cooking for likes (and doesn’t like), remembering what ingredients need to be used up, determining the best and most affordable way to get the ingredients you need, then, sure, cooking, but also putting away leftovers, figuring out what to do with them, and cleaning up. Does anyone else feel as if each time they begin to empty their dishwasher, they had just emptied their dishwasher? Asking for a friend …

Spelling this all out is not in an effort to dissuade anyone from cooking at home (really!), but to tell you that I see you and feel for you. Making dinner might not seem like a big deal, but I think it is. It is a big deal to feed yourself and the people who rely on you. I think you’re doing something important. And I’m here to help.

I value the structure and scaffolding of recipes, but I also encourage riffing on them and making them work for you and your household. If something calls for one kind of vinegar and you don’t have it, I really would prefer you not waste time or money going to the store. Use whatever type of vinegar you have or a squeeze of lemon. I appreciate recipes that don’t require too much prep work or dirtying too many dishes. If I can tell you when to get away with using one bowl rather than two, I’ll let you know.

I was thinking about all of this even more than usual this past weekend, when I traveled to Ohio to visit my brother, sister-in-law, 8-year-old niece, and my brand-new nephew. Whenever I visit them, I always find myself in their kitchen.

Cooking is my way of telling the people I love that I love them. And in my brother’s family at this very moment, it’s also how I can offer tangible care. When it comes to what I make to extend this love and comfort, I seek out recipes that offer tons of adaptability. This way, I can tailor what I’m making to whomever I am making it for. I know no better way to tell my loved ones that I am paying attention to what their needs are.

A riff on a recipe from my last cookbook, “Simply Julia,” this comforting stew features savory sausage, nutty farro and fresh kale. It comes together quickly, and it’s also very flexible. You can easily make it vegetarian (just skip the sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth), you can use any type of fresh greens in place of the kale (spinach, chopped collards, mustard greens, whatever), and you can top it with a fried egg, a spoonful of ricotta, a drizzle of chile oil and more. Gluten-free? Substitute brown rice or quinoa for the farro. (If using brown rice, just cook it longer.)

If you want more of a kick, use hot Italian sausage or add a large pinch of red pepper flakes during the sauteing portion of cooking. Want meat but not sausage? Substitute a pound of ground beef, pork, turkey, chicken or lamb. As I mentioned, you can skip the sausage if you’re vegetarian, but you can also add a cup of green lentils and let them simmer with the farro until they’re soft, and/or add a can of drained-and-rinsed chickpeas. If you have homemade broth around, go ahead and use it! If you don’t, I suggest trying Better Than Bouillon dissolved in boiling water. It’s what I always use (not just in this recipe, but also in general), because it tastes good and is easy.

Whether you follow the recipe exactly or employ any of these variations, please don’t skip the fresh lemon juice and zest at the end, an addition I stumbled on. I had a little of this stew left in my fridge, not quite enough for a meal. I also had a small container of chickpea and spinach soup I had recently made that was full of lemon juice and zest, also not quite enough for a full meal. I decided to combine the two in a pot. The sum of the parts was extraordinary, and now I can’t imagine the farro stew without that hit of brightness at the very end.

A final note about this simple recipe: It freezes beautifully. I mention this so you can consider making a double batch and freezing some for your future self, or maybe giving a container to a neighbor, friend or family member who needs a little extra support, whether they just welcomed a child or had to say goodbye to someone. This stew allows you to extend that comfort to yourself and whomever you’d like to share it with.

Farro, Kale and Sausage Stew

Active time: 30 mins. Total time: 1 hour

Serves 4-6 (makes about 6 1/2 cups)

This simple, comforting stew of savory sausage, hearty farro and fresh kale comes together quickly. It’s also very flexible: You can easily make it vegetarian (just skip the sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth), you can use any type of fresh greens in place of the kale, and you can top it with things such as a fried egg or a drizzle of chile oil. It also freezes well! For the broth, cookbook author Julia Turshen always uses Better Than Bouillon dissolved in boiling water, because it tastes good and is easy.

Storage note: Refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound sweet Italian sausage (pork or turkey), casings removed

1 large yellow onion (12 ounces), finely chopped

Fine salt

4 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated

3 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup (6 1/2 ounces) farro (any kind)

8 ounces fresh kale, rinsed, tough stems removed, coarsely chopped (1 standard bunch)

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

DIRECTIONS

In a large, heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Use your hands to break the sausage into small pieces directly into the pot. Add the onion and season everything with a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned, about 10 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent scorching.

Add the garlic and the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until very fragrant and most of the moisture from the tomato paste has evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. While it’s coming to a boil, scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge any stuck-on pieces. (Flavor!) Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, season to taste with salt, and stir in the farro and kale.

Partially cover the pot so the steam can escape, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the kale and farro are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in half of the lemon zest and juice, and season to taste with more lemon and/or salt, if desired. Serve hot.

Substitutions:

Can’t have gluten? Use quinoa or brown rice instead (if using brown rice, increase simmering time to 45 minutes).

For a spicier version, use hot Italian sausage and/or add a pinch of red pepper flakes at the beginning of cooking.

Want meat but not sausage? Substitute a pound of any type of ground meat – beef, pork, turkey, chicken or lamb.

To make this meatless, skip the sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Want that vegetarian version but with more heft? Add a cup of green lentils and let them simmer with the farro until they’re soft; and/or add a can of drained-and-rinsed chickpeas.

Don’t like kale? Use any type of fresh greens (spinach, chopped collards, mustard greens).

Nutritional Facts per serving (generous 1 cup, based on 6) | Calories: 357; Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 38 g; Sodium: 538 mg; Cholesterol: 22 mg; Protein: 20 g; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 5 g

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