Farro is a traditional whole grain of the Mediterranean, and in recent years we are seeing much more of it in our cookbooks, restaurants, and markets.
It is a hearty grain with a nutty flavor and a pleasantly chewy texture.
It could easily replace barley or rice in many recipes, with an adjustment for cooking time.
The versatility of this grain lends itself to soups, salads, and side dishes.
With a bag of Bob’s Red Mill organic farro in my pantry I was looking for a recipe to combine it with baby bella mushrooms I had in the fridge.
A quick google search led me to this recipe which comes from the website Blissful Basil…No-Fuss Garlicky Farro with Mushrooms and Parsley.
Let’s just say they say they had me at No Fuss Garlicky…
It is super delicious, healthy, and fuss-free.
Serve it as a side dish with chicken, pork, or beef. Or serve it as a vegetarian entree along with a salad and some bread.
No-Fuss Garlicky Farro with Mushrooms and Parsley ( adapted from the Blissful Basil food blog)
Ingredients
1 cup farro, rinsed and drained
1 and ½ cups chicken stock and 1 and ½ cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
10 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced or..
( 6 ounces baby bella and 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced)
6 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt or sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Add the rinsed farro and chicken stock/water to a medium sauce pan.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes till tender, stirring occasionally. Drain excess liquid if needed.
While the farro is cooking, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat.
Add in the sliced mushrooms and minced garlic at the same time (to prevent the garlic from burning).
Cook for 8 to 12 minutes till tender and most of the liquid has cooked off, stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked farro to the pan with the mushrooms and stir in the parsley, one tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.
Notes: For a gluten-free version, use brown rice or quinoa instead of farro.
For vegetarian, omit the chicken stock and use 3 cups water, or use ½ water and ½ vegetable stock.
I served it along with lemon and herb-marinated pork tenderloin and fresh steamed green beans.
