Tag Archives: grains

Farro with Mushrooms and Peas

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We were pleasantly surprised how much we loved this easy farro recipe with mushrooms and peas. The side dish is creamy and packed with the flavors of fresh thyme, garlic, and a little Parmesan cheese. Think of this as a farro risotto type dish, but with far less TLC than your typical risotto requires! 

It is perfect as a vegetarian main next to some fresh salad, or serve it as a side next to your favorite protein, such as we did with loin lamb chops. You can also prepare it in advance and use as lunch for several days.

Unfamiliar with farro? It is a nutty-flavored Mediterranean grain that has been in use since the time of ancient Egypt. And not only is it chockful of good-for-you nutrition — fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants — it is also hearty, deeply satisfying, and quite versatile.

NOTES: As a vegetarian entree or main course, this recipe will serve 4. If served as a side next to your favorite protein such as salmon, chicken, pork or lamb, it can serve 5 to 6 people.

This farro recipe will keep well for 3 to 4 days, if refrigerated properly in airtight containers. When you need to warm it up, just use a skillet over medium-low heat. It helps to add a little bit of water and stir regularly till warmed through.

Farro with Mushrooms and Peas

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms cleaned, trimmed and sliced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 tsp. chopped garlic
  • 1 cup pearled farro
  • 1 tsp. sweet paprika
  • 2 springs fresh thyme, leaves only
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

Directions

  1. In a deep skillet with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add green onions, mushrooms, and peas; sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add fresh garlic and stir briefly until fragrant. Now add farro, sweet paprika, thyme, and a little salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
  2. Meanwhile, in a separate pot over medium-high heat, bring the broth to a boil. Add the boiling broth to the farro mixture. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes (or according to package directions, ours took 30 minutes) until the liquid is absorbed.
  3. Remove from heat and add grated Parmesan and fresh mint leaves. Serve warm.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Suzy Karadsheh

Mushroom Risotto with Peas

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If you are ever at a loss for what to make for an impromptu dinner party, especially if there will be vegetarians at the table, consider this luxurious mushroom risotto. Peas add a welcome pop of color, and the sweetness of the peas fits right in with the flavors of this dish. And you’ll get another vibrant dash of green from the parsley added at the end of cooking.

As far as which stock to use, homemade is always best of course, but The Hubs used a combination of vegetable and mushroom from Better Than Bouillon; keeping it vegetarian. It was the perfect side dish for our Chicken with Artichokes and Lemon entrée.

Advance preparation: You can begin up to several hours before serving: proceed with the recipe and cook halfway through Step 4, for about 10 minutes. The rice should still be hard in the middle when you remove it from the heat, and there should not be any liquid in the pan. Spread it in an even layer in the pan or on a baking sheet and keep it away from the heat until you resume cooking. 15 minutes before serving, resume cooking as instructed.

Mushroom Risotto with Peas

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 6 cups chicken, vegetable or garlic broth or stock, or more as needed (preferably homemade)
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, or 2 shallots, minced
  • 1 lb. wild mushrooms, cleaned if necessary and torn or sliced into smaller pieces if thick (small wild mushrooms should be left whole, mushrooms like maitake can just be separated into small pieces)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or sage leaves
  • 1 1/2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or a mixture of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano

Directions

  1. Bring stock or broth to a simmer in a saucepan, with a ladle nearby. Make sure stock is well seasoned, and keep it simmering on the stove.
  2. Heat oil in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add onions or shallots and cook gently until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
  3. Turn up heat and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until they begin to sweat, about 3 minutes, then add garlic and thyme or sage. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until they are soft. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  4. Add rice and stir until grains begin to crackle. Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine is no longer visible in pan. Stir in enough simmering stock to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly. Cook, stirring often and vigorously, until stock is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of stock and continue cooking, not too fast and not too slowly, stirring often and adding more stock when rice is almost dry, for 15 minutes.
  5. Add peas and continue adding stock and stirring for another 10 minutes. Rice should be tender all the way through but still al dente. Taste now and adjust seasoning.
  6. Add another ladleful or two of stock to rice. Stir in the butter until it melts, then stir in the parsley and Parmesan, and remove from heat. Season with black pepper and serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from NYTimes Cooking

Bulgur Pilaf with Cremini Mushrooms

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To bring more diversity to grain sides, Milk Street swapped out rice for bulgur, a form of wheat grain that’s been parboiled and dried so it cooks fast yet still retains all the benefits of whole grains. Earthy mushrooms pair well with the hearty grain and packs even more of a nutritional punch. For big mushroom flavor, choose widely available cremini mushrooms plus a ¼ ounce of dried porcini, to add nice depth.

Just a dash of soy sauce boosts the mushroom’s umami flavor even further and gives the dish a rich mahogany color. Sauté the mushrooms with an onion, then add the bulgur and the cooking liquid (a combination of water and broth) and simmer it until tender.

After removing the pot from the heat, place a dish towel underneath the lid (which helps absorb moisture) and let the bulgur steam gently for 10 minutes, which results in perfectly tender, chewy grains.

NOTES: When shopping, don’t confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe. Use vegetable or mushroom broth instead of chicken stock if you want to keep it vegetarian.

Bulgur Pilaf with Cremini Mushrooms

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • ¼ oz. (7grams) dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and minced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 8 oz. cremini mushroom, stemmed and quartered if small or cut into 6 pieces if large
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
  • ¾ cup homemade chicken or vegetable broth
  • ¾ cup water
  • 1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Our bulgur pilaf became the companion dish for Ginger-Curry Grilled Chicken Kebabs.

Directions

  1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, porcini mushrooms, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in cremini mushrooms, increase heat to medium-high, cover, and cook until cremini mushrooms have released their liquid and begin to brown, about 4 minutes.
  3. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in bulgur, broth, water, and soy sauce and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until bulgur is tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
  4. Remove pot from heat, lay clean folded dish towel underneath lid, and let bulgur sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff bulgur with fork, stir in parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from Americas Test Kitchen