Hearty Mushroom and Farro Risotto

I have a confession: I love risotto. It is creamy and hearty and warms you up on cold nights. What I don’t love about risotto? Standing by the stove constantly stirring. And stirring. It took me a bit of courage to make risotto for the first time because it seemed like so much work.

The constant stirring is necessary in a risotto to bring out the starch of arborio rice and create the creamy texture. It takes about 20 minutes of constant attention to make a traditional risotto. I made a risotto for the first time a few years ago and until now I’ve just dealt with all the stirring. Then I stumbled upon this recipe, stating that using farro instead of arborio rice removes the need to stir! Hurray! Farro does not release starch the same way rice does and therefore does not require constant stirring. Instead, the dish simmers on its own, only require occasional attention.

Have you seen or tried farro before? It is a whole grain, similar to rice, but with more protein and fiber. You can use farro in place of any dish calling for rice. Since it is a bit heartier and chewier than rice, it can be a great addition to salads have ahead of time, even with dressing. Farro is located in the grain section of the grocery store, near the rice. In this risotto, I used the 10-Minute Farro from Trader Joe’s, which decreased the time the dish needed to simmer from 50 to 30 minutes.

I paired this dish with roasted chicken and roasted parsnips and celeriac. I know my plate is pretty bland in color, but trust me, it was delicious together!

Celeriac is not the prettiest ingredient, agreed? I received celeriac in my CSA but I hadn’t had it before so I roasted it like I do all new veggies. I liked it, but I also couldn’t tell the difference between the celeriac and parsnips when they were roasted together. I’ll have to try them again separately!

Have you cooked farro or celeriac before? How do you like to prepare them?

Easy Mushroom Farro Risotto
Yield 4-6 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
8oz portobella or cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 1/2 cups pearled farro
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock, warmed
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions
1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften, about three minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, rosemary, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to cook and stir.
3. Once mushrooms are soft, add farro. Cook and stir another 2 minutes then add white wine.
4. Once all the wine has been absorbed, add 5 cups of stock, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes until farro is tender and all the stock is absorbed. Make sure to stir the farro while it is simmering, every 5 minutes or so. If you run out of liquid before the farro is fully cooked, add more stock and continue to stir and simmer until tender.
5. Add the Parmesan cheese and mix well. Serve and enjoy!