Herb-Kissed Farrotto with Shiitake Mushrooms & Crispy Shallots
This truly cozy, risotto-style dish boasts immense flavor, cooked in chicken stock and accented with earthy mushrooms and crackly-crisp shallots.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
4 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
1 cup emmer farro, rinsed and dried
¼ cup white wine
2 tablespoons butter
½-1 cup reconstituted (see enclosed method) Porcini mushrooms, sautéed until golden brown in butter
2 cups Shiitake mushrooms, also sautéed until golden brown in butter
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup packed parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
For the Crispy Shallots:
2 large shallots, extra thinly sliced + layers separated
Olive oil, as needed
Method:
1. For the farrotto, heat a Dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed pot) over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the shallots. Cook for a few minutes until lightly browned. Season with salt & black pepper.
2. Meanwhile, heat the stock and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat until just barely simmering. Keep the liquid warm over low heat.
3. Add the farro to the shallots. Stir well and toast for a minute or so. Pour in the white wine. Stir with a wooden spoon until the liquid has absorbed. Start to ladle the heated liquid into the pot, one ladle (or about a ½ cup measurement) at a time, stirring after each addition until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue until you’ve added all of the liquid. This process should take about 25-30 minutes.
4. To make the crispy shallots, heat a 12” saute pan over medium-low heat. Add enough olive oil to very generously coat the pan, creating a thin layer to shallow-fry the shallots. Add the shallots in one even layer. Fry for about 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shallots to a plate lined with paper towels. Season with salt and set aside.
5. Stir the butter, mushrooms, parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, and chives into the farrotto. Allow the butter and parmesan to melt. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve in a large bowl with the crispy shallots over top. Garnish with more freshly grated parmesan and any extra herbs.
How-To: Reconstitute Dried Mushrooms
Follow these simple steps to reconstitute the beautiful mushrooms for this week’s farrotto.
Ingredients:
Dried wild mushrooms
Tools:
Medium saucepan
Handheld strainer
2-3 cups warm water, stock or wine
Method:
1. Place mushrooms in a medium saucepan. (Dried mushrooms will reconstitute to 6-8 times their dry weight.)
2. Cover mushrooms with warm water, stock or wine. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat. Allow to soak in liquid for at least 15-20 minutes; gradually the mushrooms will begin to soak in moisture and plump.
3. Drain mushrooms of liquid with the strainer. Reserve the flavorful soaking liquid for use in soup, stocks and more! Briefly sauté the reconstituted mushrooms in a little butter or olive oil, add a splash of white wine if desired, add salt and pepper to taste, and then use according to your recipe.
Morel Mushroom Frittata
This lovely, springtime-fresh frittata can be easily served for brunch, lunch, or dinner; you choose!
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large bunch fresh asparagus
6 ounces Morel mushrooms
1 cup onion, peeled and thinly sliced
8 large eggs
½ cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Method:
1. Heat oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus, onion and mushrooms, then cover and cook until onions and vegetables are tender, but not brown, about 4-5 minutes; remove from heat.
2. Set aside 4-6 asparagus spears and a few of the mushrooms. Cut remaining asparagus into thirds and return to the skillet.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, ricotta cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper until everything is blended nicely. Pour the mixture over vegetables and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until eggs are almost set, about 7 minutes.
4. Preheat the broiler while eggs are cooking. Remove pan from heat, uncover, and arrange reserved asparagus and mushrooms over the eggs. Broil 6 inches from heat until eggs are set and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve.
Risotto Night Recipes
With rain, hail and even a few snow flurries this past week, winter is still giving us some chilly weather even as it begins to wane. So, warm yourself body and soul this week with a lineup centered around one of our wintertime favorites: cozy risotto crafted from Arborio rice, wild and earthy foraged mushrooms and our signature chicken stock, and finished with white truffle oil, Grana-style cheese and an addictive truffle, salt and cheese blend. Also including Gruyère cheese bread, Tunawerth Greek yogurt and sour cream coffee cake, this box is flush with seasonal produce like Chioggia radicchio, Chantenay carrots, Cipollini onions and Meyer lemons. Enjoy!
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
White Truffle & Wild Mushroom Risotto
Creamy and delicious, this recipe is a favorite here at the farm—just remember to stir!
How-To: Reconstitute Dried Mushrooms
Follow these simple steps to reconstitute the beautiful mushrooms for this week’s risotto.
Radicchio & Apple Salad with Garden Herb Vinaigrette
Tart, crunchy and crisp, this salad celebrates the classic combination of apple and radicchio.
Garden Herb Vinaigrette
This flavor-packed vinaigrette is fantastic with both grains and greens.
Honey-Balsamic Roasted Carrots
This slam-dunk recipe from Domenica Marchetti’s The Glorious Vegetables of Italy makes the best of crisp carrots.
Meyer Lemon-Lime Curd
Serve this classic curd from Gourmet magazine alongside slices of this week’s coffee cake for an easy and elegant dessert!
