Creamy Farro Food

CREAMY FARRO WITH CRISPY MUSHROOMS AND SOUR CREAM

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the leeks and half the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and crisped, 12 to 15 minutes. (They will start giving off moisture and steaming a little before this happens, so be patient.)
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a medium bowl leaving any olive oil behind. (They will have absorbed the oil as they cook, and released it back as they crisp.) Add a bit more olive oil so there's another 1/4 cup or so in the pot. Cook the remaining leeks and mushrooms, adding them to the bowl with the other mushrooms.
• Without wiping the pot, add farro and season with salt and pepper. Cook over that same medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until farro is toasted on the outside (it will go from pale golden brown to a toastier golden brown), about 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth and 2 cups water; season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a strong simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until farro is fully cooked and most (but not all) of the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. It should still look a bit loose, like risotto or a porridge. Remove from heat and add half the chives.
• Toss dill, remaining chives and lemon zest together in a small bowl. To serve, season farro with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Top with sour cream, mushrooms and leeks, and dill mixture. Serve lemon wedges alongside for squeezing.

CREAMY FARRO PILAF WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add farro, stirring until toasted, 1 minute. Add wine and reduce by half. Add stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until farro is tender and creamy, 35 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and red-pepper flakes. Roast, stirring once, until crisp and golden, 20 to 22 minutes.
• Warm farro over medium heat and add spinach, stirring until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms and Parmesan. Top with additional Parmesan.

CREAMY FARRO

Steps:

• Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer in a stockpot; keep it at a simmer while you prepare the vegetables. Finely dice the yellow onion, carrot, and celery; mince the garlic. In a medium-mesh strainer, rinse the farro under cold running water.
• In a medium Dutch oven or wide sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and gently sauté them. After the vegetables have softened slightly, add the garlic. To release the flavors of the aromatic vegetables, add 1 tablespoon of the white wine vinegar. Stir to release the vegetables from the bottom of the pan (a process called "deglazing"). Add the rinsed farro and stir to incorporate. Add the white wine and cook for a few minutes, until the alcohol evaporates.
• Season the farro with a generous teaspoon of salt. Start adding the hot vegetable stock, about a cup at a time; gently stir the farro until the vegetable stock is completely absorbed and the grains begin to soften. Add another cup of the hot stock and repeat the process until all the stock has been added and the farro is completely cooked.
• Once the farro is creamy and completely cooked, fold in the grated Mahon cheese and stir to combine. Then fold in the cubed butter and add the remaining ½ tablespoon of white wine vinegar; stir to combine. To finish, mince the fresh chives (or fresh thyme, optional) and sprinkle over the top of the dish. Serve immediately.