Mushroom Farrotto Recipes

MUSHROOM FARROTTO

Steps:

• Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms for 30 minutes while you prep the vegetables. Drain the mushrooms and reserve the soaking water. Strain the soak water through a fine sieve (see Chef Tips). Set aside. Take the soaked mushrooms, discard the woody stems, and roughly chop. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over a medium high flame. When it shimmers, add the onion, celery, and carrot. Sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the drained farro. Cook until the juices in the pan are absorbed. Add the lemon-water mixture and mushroom soaking water, and cook until the farro is "al dente" - tender but still a little chewy - and the water has been absorbed, about 30 minutes. If the farro is dry but still underdone, add the additional water or stock, ¼ cup at a time.
• Meanwhile, in a saute pan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and thyme. Saute until the shallots start to color, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped dried mushrooms, cook 1-2 minutes, then add the sliced fresh mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and cook until they wilt, about 5-8 minutes. Cover the pan and turn off the heat. Let the mushrooms steam for 5-10 minutes or until the farro is cooked.
• Stir in the sauteed mushroom-mixture and all its juices into the cooked farro. Stir the grated cheese, if using. Taste for salt. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

FARRO RISOTTO WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, heat the butter and oil and then add the onions and mushrooms.
• Cook until softened and cooked through.
• Drain the farro and stir into the pot with the mushrooms.
• Add the white wine and continue to cook until it is almost absorbed.
• Continue to cook the farro over medium low heat stirring often, adding one ladleful of hot broth at a time.
• Once the broth gets absorbed, continue to stir and add more broth until the farro is tender to the bite but still retains some chewiness.
• Season the farro with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
• Add the butter, chopped parsley, and grated cheese and stir until combined
• Serve in individual bowls topped with some chopped hazelnuts and offer additional cheese at the table.

MUSHROOM AND PEA FARROTTO

Steps:

• Heat a 3 1/2-quart pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and all of the water cooks out, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the leeks. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the leeks, stirring often, until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and salt and cook 1 more minute. Add the farro to the pan and stir to coat the grains in the oil and toast slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze with the wine and stir. Cook the farro, stirring occasionally, until the wine evaporates almost completely, about 8 minutes. Add the broth in 1-cup increments, cooking until the liquid almost completely evaporates before adding the next increment; this will take about 45 minutes to complete. Remember to stir often to create a creamy texture.
• When the farro is tender and absorbs almost all of the liquid, stir in the mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano and butter. Continue to stir until the butter is melted in and the mixture is creamy. Stir in the peas at the last minute and serve.

WILD MUSHROOM AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO FARROTTO (FARRO RISOTTO)

Steps:

• Place the farro in a large pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to par-cook the farro, and then drain and set aside.
• In a heavy-based pot, add the butter and oil. Add the mushrooms, garlic and shallots and saute until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine. Add the drained farro and stir to combine. Add the chicken stock to the pot a little at a time, ensuring at each addition that the liquid has been completely absorbed by the farro. Keep stirring and adding the stock until the mixture is thick and creamy.
• Add the sun-dried tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, and then add the Parmesan, sour cream and parsley.

MUSHROOM AND PEA FARROTTO

Steps:

• Heat a 3 1/2-quart pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and all of the water cooks out, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the leeks. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the leeks, stirring often, until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and salt and cook 1 more minute. Add the farro to the pan and stir to coat the grains in the oil and toast slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze with the wine and stir. Cook the farro, stirring occasionally, until the wine evaporates almost completely, about 8 minutes. Add the broth in 1-cup increments, cooking until the liquid almost completely evaporates before adding the next increment; this will take about 45 minutes to complete. Remember to stir often to create a creamy texture.
• When the farro is tender and absorbs almost all of the liquid, stir in the mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano and butter. Continue to stir until the butter is melted in and the mixture is creamy. Stir in the peas at the last minute and serve.

MUSHROOM AND FARRO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened and moisture has evaporated, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Add farro to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Pour in white wine and cook until wine has mostly evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until farro is softened, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Stir in frozen peas and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Remove soup from heat and discard bay leaf before serving.

FARRO WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with warm water; soak until mushrooms are reconstituted, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and chop mushrooms.
• Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Saute brown mushrooms with a pinch of salt in hot oil until slightly golden and moisture cooks off, 5 to 10 minutes. Add chopped porcini mushrooms, reduce heat to medium, and cook and stir until hot, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Stir onion into mushrooms; cook and stir until translucent and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Pour farro into mushroom mixture; stir until farro is coated in olive oil. Increase heat to high and add 1 cup chicken broth with a pinch of salt to mushroom mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer, stirring once, until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
• Increase heat to high and stir remaining chicken broth into farro mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until farro is starting to get tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the lid from the pot and continue simmering uncovered until farro reaches desired tenderness, about 15 minutes more.
• Reduce heat to low; stir creme fraiche and parsley into farro mixture. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into farro and ladle into bowls.

FARRO WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place the farro in a bowl, and pour on enough hot water to cover by an inch. Let soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Drain.
• Place the dried mushrooms in a large Pyrex measuring cup or bowl, and pour in 2 cups boiling water. Let sit 30 minutes.
• Drain the mushrooms through a strainer set over a bowl and lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer, then rinse in several changes of water to remove grit. Chop coarsely if the pieces are large and set aside. Add the broth from the mushrooms to the stock. You should have 6 cups (add water if necessary). Place in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt to taste.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until they begin to soften and sweat. Add salt to taste, the garlic and rosemary. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender, about five minutes. Add the farro and reconstituted dried mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until the grains of farro are separate and beginning to crackle, about two minutes. Stir in the wine and cook, stirring until the wine has been absorbed. Add all but about 1 cup of the stock, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 50 minutes or until the farro is tender; some of the grains will be beginning to splay. Remove the lid, and stir vigorously from time to time. Taste and adjust seasoning. There should be some liquid remaining in the pot but not too much. If the farro is submerged in stock, raise the heat and cook until there is just enough to moisten the grains, like a sauce. If there is not, stir in the remaining stock. If not serving right away, cover and let stand. Just before serving, bring back to a simmer, add the Parmesan, parsley and pepper, and stir together. Remove from the heat and serve.