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Farro “Risotto” with Mushrooms, Roasted Red Peppers and Swiss Chard

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Ingredients
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup farro
½ cup white wine
4 cups mushroom stock (or chicken, or vegetable)
¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in 1 cup hot water
1 roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded and cut into small pieces
1 handful Swiss chard leaves, chopped
3 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 cup parmigiana reggiano or grana padana cheese, freshly-grated
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

You will also need:
Large skillet
Paring knife
Bowls
Large spoon
Stock pot
Slotted spoon

Instructions
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium flame. Add red onions and sauté until onions start to soften. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for a few more minutes. Add farro and let cook, stirring, for about two minutes. Pour in the wine and about a cup of the stock. Let cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost all absorbed.

Meanwhile, with a slotted spoon, remove the porcini mushrooms from the liquid, reserving the liquid. Slice the porcinis into small pieces and add to the farro mixture. Pour in the reserved porcini liquid, making sure to strain out the sand. Add the roasted red peppers and Swiss chard.

Keep adding stock, a cup at a time, until the farro is tender.

When the farro has absorbed the liquid and is tender, turn off the heat and add the butter or remaining olive oil and cheese. Stir well to incorporate. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.


Farro “Risotto” with Mushrooms and Fresh Asparagus

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Tender asparagus is such a treat.  I can’t resist buying a few bunches when it first shows up for the season in our local farmers markets.

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It is delicious alone but also pairs well with so many ingredients, such as grains.  Farro, a type of whole grain with a nutty taste,  is a staple that I keep in my cupboards.  It can be cooked in a number of ways and used in salads, soups and stews.  My favorite way is to cook it risotto-style with fresh vegetables (such as asparagus) and stock.   And to finish it off with a rich parmigiana reggiano cheese and a drizzle of my favorite extra-virgin olive oil.

Ingredients
4 cups stock (mushroom, vegetable, chicken, pork, veal, beef – your preference)
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I use California Olive Ranch’s “everyday” extra-virgin olive oil for this.)
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced shitake mushrooms (stem removed first)
1 cup farro
¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in 1/3 cup red wine
1 lb. asparagus
1 cup parmigiana reggiano or grana padana cheese, freshly-grated
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil for finishing (I use a top-grade extra virgin olive oil for this, such as California Olive Ranch’s Limited Edition or Miller’s Blend.)

You will also need:

Large skillet
Paring knife
Large spoon
Medium saucepan
Ladle
Plates for serving

Instructions
Heat the stock in a medium saucepan until it just starts to boil.  Reduce the heat and keep it hot.

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Meanwhile, heat 4 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the red onions and sauté until the onions start to soften.

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Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for a few more minutes.

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Add the farro and let cook, stirring, for about two minutes.

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Pour in about a cup of the stock.

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Let cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost all absorbed.

Meanwhile, with a slotted spoon, remove the porcini mushrooms from the wine, reserving the wine. Slice the porcinis into small pieces and add to the farro mixture.

porcinis

Pour in the reserved wine, making sure to strain out the sand.

Keep adding stock, a cup at a time, until only one cup of stock remains.

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Break the stems off the asparagus.

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Slice the asparagus into 1″ pieces.

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When the liquid in the skillet has almost all been absorbed, add the asparagus and the last cup of stock.

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Continue to cook until the stock has been absorbed.  At this point, the farro should be tender.

Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Stir well to incorporate.

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Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the farro on individual plates.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to finish.

Serves 4

Crunchy Apple-Blueberry Coffee Cake with Almonds

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This coffee cake is decadent with its wealth of fruit and its crunchy topping. You can use almost any fruit in it. Feel free to experiment with strawberries, pears, nectarines, peaches, or blackberries instead of the apples and blueberries. Come up with your own favorite combinations. And, no mixer required to make this cake!

Also, a note about butter. I prefer to use European-style butter in all of my baking. It contains less water and more butter fat than regular butter. I think it yields a richer flavor and a moister texture (and flakier pie crusts).

Ingredients
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, melted, plus more for the pan
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unrefined or white sugar
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
Zest from 1 large Meyer lemon
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups apples, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups blueberries

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick (2 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped almonds

You will also need:
9-inch springform pan
2 large bowls
Whisk
1 medium bowl
Cake tester

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (about 175 degrees C).

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter. Add a tablespoon of flour to the pan and shake it to coat the sides and bottom. Discard the excess flour.

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix in the sour cream, sea salt and vanilla. Add the egg and whisk to combine.

In a separate large bowl, combine the baking soda, baking powder, lemon zest and flours. Mix well. Add the chopped apples and blueberries and toss to coat the fruit with the flour mixture. Add this to the butter mixture in the other large bowl. Stir just to combine. Pour this mixture into the prepared springform pan.

Make the topping by combining the remaining brown sugar, softened butter, cinnamon and chopped almonds. Sprinkle on top of the cake batter.

Bake for approximately 1 hour. Begin testing at 45 minutes, as ovens can cook a little differently. The top might be slightly caved in, but the cake will be done when the tester comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for five minutes. Run a sharp knife around the inside rim of the pan to loosen the cake. Open the springform latch and let the cake continue to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Slice the cake just before serving. Serves 8.









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