The leaves are turning and the air is getting crisper. My mind is beginning to wander to comfort food and one of my favorites is risotto. I just love the creamy, buttery, cheesy texture and flavors of risotto. The problem with risotto...it's not really that nutritious for you. Shocking, right? So how can we get a satisfying, creamy, hearty and healthy replacement for risotto? Enter farrotto.
Farro is one of those trendy whole grains you might have heard about recently. But it's been around since ancient Roman times. Although it can come from a few different types of wheat, it is most typically derived from emmer wheat. Compared to arborio rice (I used Lundberg as my example), farro is incredibly nutrient-dense (Bob's Red Mill in comparison). Per 1/4 cup, it provides 40% more protein (7g vs. 5g) and 7 times the amount of fiber (7g vs. 1g).
This recipe is adapted from America's Test Kitchen Parmesan Farrotto recipe. I removed the butter (see ya saturated fats!) and used extra virgin olive oil instead. I also added some sauteed mushrooms that were languishing in the fridge to give it a little more interest. Admittedly, it was not quite as satisfying as risotto, but it was pretty darn good and I felt a lot better after eating it. Pictured with it is sauteed spiralized butternut squash.
1 1/2 cup whole grain farro
3 cups no or low sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme (or whatever spices you like or have on hand)
4 oz. mixed mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
juice of 1/2 lemon
1. Place farro in a blender and pulse 5-7 times until about half of the farro has been cracked. This will help release some of the starch and give us that rich, creamy texture we love in risotto.
2. Combine broth and water in medium saucepan and bring to boil.
3. Add 1 T oil to a dutch oven or large saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3-4 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add farro to onions and stir constantly for 3 minutes to toast farro. Add 5 cups of the broth mixture to the farro and stir to combine. Turn heat to low and cover. Cook until most liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes, stirring a couple times to prevent from sticking to bottom of pan. Farro should be slightly chewy.
5. In small pan, add 1 T oil and heat over medium heat. Sautee mushrooms until lightly browned and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.
6. Uncover and add spices and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir constantly for a few minutes to really get those starches going. This should really help us get that creamy risotto texture.
7. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan, mushrooms and lemon juice. Stir in whatever remaining broth mixture you want to give you the consistency you desire.
8. Enjoy!