Bear Cuisine

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

 

I wanted to make some risotto with the beautiful porcini mushrooms that were in the pantry. (If you want some, contact Gustiamo and order them. They are well worth the expense.) But as I was rooting around looking for the Carnaroli rice that I was sure was there, I couldn't find any. Instead, I found some farro and decided to make the dish using this nutty, chewy grain. The results were wonderful. I didn't change the recipe at all and it turned out beautifully.

PORCINI MUSHROOM RISOTTO MADE WITH FARRO

1. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive ol
3. 1/3 cup finely minced onion
4. 1 1/2 cups Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice

 

1. 1 ounce dried porcini
2. 
   4 ounces shitake or other wild mushrooms, stems removed and sliced (about 2 cups) or 8 ounces white or brown cultivated mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
3. 
   4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, approximately
4. 
   1 cup procini liquid, strained
5. 
   1/2 cup dry white wine

 

1. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2. 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3. 2 tablespoons chopped flat parsley

Place the porcini in a small bowl with 1 cup boiling or very hot water and let stand for 30 minutes. Strain the porcini liquid into a saucepan with the broth.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small skillet over moderate heat. When it begins to foam, add the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and the liquid they give off has almost completely evaporated. Coarsely chop the porcini and add them to the pan with the fresh mushrooms Continue cooking for about 2 minutes longer. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat, and set aside.

Bring the broth, combined with the porcini liquid, to a steady simmer.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over moderate heat. Add the onion and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, until it begins to soften, being careful not to brown it.

Ad the rice to the soffrito and using wooden spoon stir for 1-2 minutes until the grains are evenly coated.

Add the wine and stir until it is completely absorbed. Begin to add the simmering broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup, reserving about 1/4 cup to add at the end. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and promote even cooking.

Begin checking for dineness after about 15 minutes. When the rice is tender but still firm, add the reserved broth along with the mushrooms Parmigiano-Regiano and parsley Stir vigorously to combine with the rice.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a main course.

(recipe courtesy of Christine Hickman)

Risotto de Farro

Italians are crazy for farro and this recipe is from Tuscany is simply wonderful. One of the best things about this is that you can make this dish several hours ahead of time and then reheat it--taking care not to overcook it. We just loved this dish and I intend to find other recipes from Italy for this amazing grain.

FARRO RISOTTO WITH CHICKPEAS ORANGE AND SAGE

(serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 as a main dish)

• 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) whole-grain Italian farro
  
• Hot Water
  
• 2 tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 medium to large onion, finely chopped
  
• 15 to 16 large fresh sage leaves, torn into small pieces
  
• A 4-inch branch fresh rosemary
  
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  
• 8 to 10 cups Hearty Vegetable Broth
  
• Shredded zest of 1 large orange
  
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
  
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  
• 1 tightly packed tablespoon fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
  

Place the farro in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Soak at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a heavy 5-to 6-quart pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, sage, rosemary, fennel seeds and salt. Cover and turn the heat to low. Cook 15 minutes, or until the onions are soft and clear. Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high, and saute the onions to rich golden brown,taking care not to burn the glaze at the bottom of the pan.  About half way through the browning, stir in half the chickpeas.

Meanwhile, bring the broth to a gentle simmer.

Drain the farro. Blend half the orange zest, all the garlic, and the farro into onions. Stir 1 minute. Cooking takes about an hour ....{depending on where your farro has come from-more or less time.]

Add 1 cup of broth and cook, uncovered, at a lively simmer until it has been absorbed. Stir frequently. Keep adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until it is absorbed. Stir frequently Keep adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time until it is absorbed. Add salt and pepper to taste as the dish cooks. When the farro is nearly tender, blend in the remaining chickpeas. Stir in the wine and remaining orange zest and cook until the wine has been absorbed Sample the farro for tenderness with some firmness and no raw taste. Its cleft will have opened up, revealing more of its white interior. It is still too firm, add another 1/4 cup or more stock and simmer until its consistency is creamy and the grain is done. Remove the rosemary sprig.

Remove the pot from the heat, fold in the cheese, and let rest, uncovered, 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning Serve hot, sprinkled with parsley.

Lynne Rossetto Kasper. The Italian Country Table. New York:Scribner, 1999)

Later in the week, we used the leftovers to stuff peppers.

Great leftovers! No one would know that this was a dish made from a previous dinner.

As Ina Garten would say, "How bad can that be?"

Against the Grain

 One day last year, I ordered some farro from Chefshop.com. They must have been advertising it for I didn't remember reading about it before and they made it sound fantastic. One reason I love this company and sometimes violate my self-imposed local only rule is because their descriptions are not hype or blarney. They are true. Back to farro.

Farro, also known as emmer, was one of the earliest domesticated crops in the Near East.It was grown in Egypt and Mesopotamia and eventually through the Mediterranean and Europe. Farro grows well in many types or soils and is appreciated for its nutty, grain flavor. It is also one of those good-tasting foods which is good for you--high in protein, nutrients and fiber. While it is not gluten free, it is considerably lower in gluten than wheat and generally easier to digest.

I now have a new food to love. 

FARRO WITH WINTER GREENS

• 1 cup farro
  
• 3 cups water
  
• 1 lb. organic kale, mustard greens or chard 
  
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil
  

Bring lightly salted water to boil. Add farro and turn heat down to simmer;cover and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, until grains are "al dente."

Rinse greens well and chop them into small pieces. Combine with wheat berries while still warm. combine vinegar and olive oil and pour over ingredients. toss well to coat. Serve or let it rest at room temperature to cool.

Christmas Dinner :Polenta with Chanterelles

Basic Polenta

• 1 tablespoon salt
  
• 2 cups coarse-grained cornmeal
  

1. Bring 6 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a large, heavy kettle

2. Add the salt, turn the heat down to medium low so that the water is just simmering, and add the cornmeal in a very thin stream, stirring with a stout, long wooden spoon. the stream of cornmeal must be so thin that you can se the individual grains. A good way to do this is to let a fistful of cornmeal run through nearly closed fingers. Never stop stirring, and keep the water at a slow, steady simmer.

3. Continue stirring for 20 minutes after all the cornmeal has been added. The polenta is done,when it tears away from the sides of the pot as you stir.

4. When done, pour the polenta  onto a large wooden block or a platter.  Allow it to cool first if you are going to slice it in preparation for subsequent cooking. otherwise serve it piping hot.

(from Marzella Hazan: Classic Italian Cooking)

I made this the day before and spread it in a pan, covered with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator. I cut it into very pretty hexagonal shapes and fried it while the chanterelles were sauteing.

CHANTERELLES

To saute the mushrooms, cut into smaller pieces and cook in butter. Add a bit of lemon when they are finished cooking and serve on top of the fried polenta.