Farro Risotto with Wild Mushrooms and Tomatoes

◔ Makes 4 to 6 servings

⧖ 45 minutes, mostly passive stirring

For mushroom and tomato mixture:

1 tablespoon olive oil
5-6 ounces wild mushrooms, sliced
2 small (or one large) tomatoes
½ cup dry white wine

For risotto:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter (substitute olive oil if cooking for vegan guests)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot (or small onion), chopped
2 cups Anson Mills farro piccolo, dry
2½ cups duck or chicken stock (substitute vegetable stock if cooking for vegetarian guests)
1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
½ teaspoon each salt and pepper (additional to taste)
Optional: 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes

For garnish:

Grated Parmesan
Fresh thyme
Dried chili flakes (optional)

Prepare the mushroom and tomato mixture:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan and add mushrooms. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.

Deglaze pan by cutting a hole in the top of each tomato and squeezing the juice into the pan.

Chop tomatoes and add them to the mushrooms.

Add ½ cup white wine to pan, and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir occasionally to prevent sticking until most liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat.

Prepare the risotto:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan and add garlic and shallot, stirring until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Add farro to pan and stir until coated in oil, 2-3 minutes.

Heat stock and keep it at a simmer while you cook.

Add one cup stock to pan and stir until almost absorbed.

When you can scrape a spoon through the farro and see the bottom of the pan for a couple seconds, add another ½ cup of stock and the Herbes de Provence, ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and (optional) chili flakes.

Continuing adding stock in ¼ cup increments until it's all absorbed.

Add mushroom and tomato mixture, stir to totally combine, and test farro for doneness.

If you need more liquid, add a splash of white wine.

Serve immediately, garnishing each plate with Parmesan, thyme, and dried chili flakes.

Notes:

Of course you can substitute vegetable stock to keep the dish vegetarian.
Of course you can skip the cheese and substitute olive oil for the butter if you want to keep it vegan. And it will still be delicious!
This recipe may seem like a big hassle, but once you master risotto, it'll probably become a favorite easy meal. There are endless variations.
Once you've gotten good at it, you can probably cook the mushrooms and tomatoes while you're stirring the risotto instead of doing it ahead of time.
Make sure everyone comes to the table promptly and ask the most brief speaker to say the blessing if that's a thing you do. Risotto should be served immediately and hot!

Farro Risotto with Wild Mushrooms and Tomatoes

◔ Makes 4 to 6 servings

⧖ 45 minutes, mostly passive stirring

For mushroom and tomato mixture:

1 tablespoon olive oil

5-6 ounces wild mushrooms, sliced

2 small (or one large) tomatoes

½ cup dry white wine

For risotto:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter (substitute olive oil if cooking for vegan guests)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 shallot (or small onion), chopped

2 cups Anson Mills farro piccolo, dry

2½ cups duck or chicken stock (substitute vegetable stock if cooking for vegetarian guests)

1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence

½ teaspoon each salt and pepper (additional to taste)

Optional: 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes

For garnish:

Grated Parmesan

Fresh thyme

Dried chili flakes (optional)

Prepare the mushroom and tomato mixture:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan and add mushrooms. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.

Deglaze pan by cutting a hole in the top of each tomato and squeezing the juice into the pan.

Chop tomatoes and add them to the mushrooms.

Add ½ cup white wine to pan, and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir occasionally to prevent sticking until most liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat.

Prepare the risotto:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan and add garlic and shallot, stirring until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Add farro to pan and stir until coated in oil, 2-3 minutes.

Heat stock and keep it at a simmer while you cook.

Add one cup stock to pan and stir until almost absorbed.

When you can scrape a spoon through the farro and see the bottom of the pan for a couple seconds, add another ½ cup of stock and the Herbes de Provence, ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and (optional) chili flakes.

Continuing adding stock in ¼ cup increments until it's all absorbed.

Add mushroom and tomato mixture, stir to totally combine, and test farro for doneness.

If you need more liquid, add a splash of white wine.

Serve immediately, garnishing each plate with Parmesan, thyme, and dried chili flakes.

Notes:

Of course you can substitute vegetable stock to keep the dish vegetarian.

Of course you can skip the cheese and substitute olive oil for the butter if you want to keep it vegan. And it will still be delicious!

This recipe may seem like a big hassle, but once you master risotto, it'll probably become a favorite easy meal. There are endless variations.

Once you've gotten good at it, you can probably cook the mushrooms and tomatoes while you're stirring the risotto instead of doing it ahead of time.

Make sure everyone comes to the table promptly and ask the most brief speaker to say the blessing if that's a thing you do. Risotto should be served immediately and hot!