Bob's Farroto

This recipe was on the back of the Bob's Red Mill farro I bought.  It's a wheat version of risotto.  I'm pretty sure the original recipe was intended as a side dish.  I added additional mix-ins and fish to make it a main course.

Like with true risotto, you have to stand there for a while and stir in the broth.  You're not getting out of that if you want a smooth and creamy texture.  The pre-soak is because, unlike rice, wheat will get a hard outer coating during the toasting process and not absorb the broth properly.  That said, I only used about a pint of broth by the time the farro was cooked.  I now have a quart of homemade vegetable stock in my freezer, if anyone needs some.

I was really proud of myself when I chose the ingredients for my version.  I used mushrooms, cauliflower, and cod.  None of those are generally my first choice when I cook.  I'm expanding my palate options.  Tossing a good-quality parmesan on top didn't hurt.

*2/3 C farro, soaked overnight
2-3 C unsalted Vegetable stock
1 Tb olive oil
1/2 C diced onion
*1 rib celery, diced
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1/4 C dry white wine, optional
8 oz sliced mushrooms
*1 carrot, diced
1/2 C green peas (frozen ok)
1/2 of a small head of cauliflower, finely chopped
1 lb white fish fillet, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 Tb butter
2 Tb shredded parmesan cheese, more for garnish
salt and pepper

1.  Bring vegetable stock to a low simmer in a saucepan and put a half-cup ladle in it.  Drain the farro.

2.  In a larger pot or deep skillet, heat oil over medium.  Sauté onion, celery, and garlic until soft.  Add drained farro and cook until it absorbs the oil and starts to smell nutty, about 2 minutes.

3.  Add wine, if using.  I actually used gin because there was going to be fish in this.  It cooks out.  Stir until liquid is absorbed or cooked off.  Use the ladle to add warm stock to the farro, 1/2 cup at a time.  Allow it to absorb between additions, stirring frequently to develop the gluten.  About halfway through, add the mushrooms, carrot, peas, and cauliflower.  They're going to release more liquid as they cook down, so you don't want to add them after the last of the stock.  The risotto process will take about 30 minutes.  Of frequent stirring and a lot of attention.

4.  Once the vegetables have cooked down and the farro is done (split and fluffy), stir in the raw fish pieces.  Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, until opaque.  Depending on the fish you chose, it may become flaky.  I picked cod because the finished texture was going to be closer to scallops, which were crazy expensive that day.  Once the fish is cooked, taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

5.  Remove pot from heat.  Stir in butter and parmesan.  Ladle into large bowls and garnish with extra parmesan.

Difficulty rating  :)