Farro Risotto with Shiitake Mushrooms

I was first introduced to farro by Christina Pirello, at one of her cooking classes. I fell in love with it while vacationing in Italy this summer. It's similar to barley, but has a sweeter flavor and a chewier texture. Farro has more protein than quinoa, it's an excellent source of fiber, and can be used in soups, stews and salads.

It comes pearled, semi pearled or whole. Pearled cooks the fastest, but you lose some of the nutrition. If you can find it, whole farro is your best option, but I also have semi pearled in my pantry in case I'm in a rush. With whole farro, you can soak it prior to cooking to help speed up the cooking time.

This recipe used whole farro. Your cooking time will be shorter if you're using pearled and you won't have to soak it.

                              

Farro Risotto with Shiitake Mushrooms

1 C uncooked whole farro (soaked in water for at least an hour)

1/2 lg onion, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic, finely diced

3-4 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Generous pinch of sea salt

8-10 shiitake mushrooms, sliced and stems removed

1/4 C white wine

3+ C of hot vegetable broth (the amount depends on the type of farro you use....have extra just in case)

In a large sauté pan, combine oil, onions and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and sauté over low heat 3-4 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and the drained farro. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and stir until absorbed.

Gradually add the hot broth, one half cup at a time, until the broth is absorbed and the farro is al dente. Again, you may need less or more broth, depending on the farro.

This recipe serves 3-4 people and can be halved for 1-2 servings.

Lentil Soup with Mushrooms

Don't remove soup from your weekly diet just because it's summer! Soup is a year round dish! It's good for digestion and eating hot foods (temperature and spice) will help you feel cooler. Local vegetables offer you dozens of options. A bowl of soup with some salad is the perfect "light" summer meal. I made some lentil soup tonight because I was craving lentils and mushrooms. It's quick and easy to make and you can easily adapt the quantity. This recipe makes 4-6 bowls.

Lentil Soup with Mushrooms

1 C green lentils rinsed (I used small Spanish lentils)

1 lg onion finely diced

10-12 Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and finely diced

1/2 C (approx) Maitake mushroom, finely diced

4 C water

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp ground pepper

2 well rounded TBS barley miso, dissolved in 1/2 C warm water

2-3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

In a small stockpot, combine olive oil, onion and mushrooms. Saute over medium heat until onions are clear and softened. Add the lentils, water, bay leaves and spices. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for about 30-45 minutes. When the lentils are soft and the soup has thickened, remove the bay leaves and add the dissolved miso. Turn off heat and allow soup to rest a few minutes before serving. (This will activate the healthy bacteria in the miso. Remember....don't boil miso!) 

I garnished the soup with fresh oregano because it's taking over my garden! Cilantro or fresh parsley would also be good.

Mushroom Sauce

This is an easy sauce that you can use with many dishes....pasta, polenta, crepes, etc. The sauce is vegan and can be made gluten-free. Maitake mushrooms give your immune system a boost, so if they're available at your market, make sure you include them in this dish.

Mushroom Sauce

About 4 handfuls of assorted mushrooms, chopped

1/2 lg sweet onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, diced

3/4 C vegetable broth

3 tsp flour (cornstarch for gluten free)

1 tsp fresh thyme

4-5 TBS of extra virgin olive oil or organic Earth Balance

2 tsp organic barley miso

2 TBS white wine or sherry (omit for vegan)

salt and pepper

Add olive oil or Earth Balance to a large saute pan. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms and saute over medium heat being careful not to burn the garlic. Lightly season with thyme, salt and pepper, then saute until onions and mushrooms are a light golden brown. Turn down the heat and sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour or cornstarch. Stir until the mushrooms are coated and the flour is no longer white. Add 1/2 C of the vegetable broth and the wine, continuing to stir. Allow sauce to thicken while simmering. Add the miso to the remaining 1/4 C of broth and whisk until dissolved. Add miso to the sauce and stir until blended. Makes about 2-3 cups.

NOTES: If using Earth Balance instead of the olive oil, keep in mind that it's salted and you will most likely not need to add more salt. The miso is also salty. 

Mushroom Barley Soup

It's a snowy day in Philadelphia! Perfect day for a hearty soup. Barley always reminds me of my grandmother. Every New Year's Day she made the best beef barley soup and we watched the Mummers march up 2nd Street.

Mushrooms and barley are both excellent for your health. Barley is a super-food to feed the healthy bacteria in your intestines. Mushrooms have a long list of benefits ranging from fighting cancer to heart disease. You can read about them here.

Mushroom Barley Soup

1 onion, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 stalks of celery, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2-3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2 lg leaves of kale, remove stalk and dice, then roll leaves like a cigar and finely slice

1 c barley

2 c warm water

4 c vegetable or mushroom broth

3 bay leaves

Salt and pepper

Mushrooms (I used about 10-15 Shiitake and 3 Morels. See NOTES below)

In a stock pot, combine olive oil with onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and saute over low to medium heat until the onions are translucent. 

Add barley, water, broth, bay leaves and kale. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about an hour. Remove bay leaves and taste soup to see if more salt and pepper are needed. If more salt is added, simmer an additional 10 minutes or so.

NOTES: I had to use dried Morels because my market only had Shiitake, Portabello and White mushrooms available fresh. If you use any dried mushrooms, soak them in the two cups of warm water for at least thirty minutes before dicing them. Don't discard the water! Add it to your soup. Additional broth or water can be added towards the end if soup is too thick.