Farro With Mushrooms and Asparagus

Category: Side Dishes | Blog URL: http://sweetkarolineadventuresinfood.blogspot.com/2009/11/little-something-to-wet-your-appetite.html

This recipe was entered in The Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook contest, a compilation of the world’s best food blogs which was published in Fall 2010.

Photo: Karoline Boehm-Goodnick

Ingredients

1 ounce dried mushrooms

8 ounces semi-pearled farro

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 cups chicken stock

1 inch bunch asparagus, cut into ¼ pieces

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

In a small bowl, cover dried mushrooms with warm water. Soak for 25 minutes, or until softened.

Drain the mushrooms, and discard the soaking water. Chop finely.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add farro, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and reserve.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat the olive oil, and add onion, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onions are tender.

Stir in 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar, and continue cooking for 1 minute.

Add chicken stock, and bring it to a boil.

Stir in farro, and return to a boil.

Lower the heat to a simmer, and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook for 10 minutes.

Add asparagus, and cook, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.

Season with 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, salt and pepper.

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About

Meredith Berger, nutrition intern at Emerson Hospital, says, “Whenever I make a grain dish, I try to beef it up with some finely chopped vegetables to make the grain portion size smaller but be just as filling.” In this case, farro, rated medium on the glycemic index, is beefed up with asparagus and mushrooms. The addition of protein-rich chicken stock and sherry vinegar lower the overall GI of the dish. The cereal is an ancient cousin to modern day wheat and sometimes known as emmer wheat. High in B vitamins but low in gluten, it may be tolerated by some with wheat allergies. Choose the semi-pearled version, as it cooks faster than the whole grain. Farro is often cooked like rice or pasta. For this recipe, boil the kernels first and then transfer to a skillet to absorb the flavors of the sauce. To make the dish vegetarian, soak the mushrooms in 2 cups of water; reserve it and use in place of chicken stock.