Oct. 12, 1492, the day that Christopher Columbus first set foot in the Americas, has long been celebrated across the United States and by people of Italian heritage around the globe. Since 1937, that date has been an official federal holiday called Columbus Day, and in 1970, Congress officially set its observance on the second Monday of the month. And this year, the 523rd anniversary of Columbus’s landing actually falls on the 12th.
In many cities nationwide, big parades will mark the occasion. More importantly, at least from my perspective as a chef, people everywhere will be seeking out good Italian food. I certainly expect that we’ll be serving more than the usual amounts of pizza, pasta (especially spaghetti with meatballs) and risotto in my restaurants.
So, to celebrate Columbus Day this year, I thought I’d share something that is a little bit out of the ordinary: a different kind of risotto. That popular dish from northern Italy is usually prepared with plump, short-grain Italian rice varieties like arborio, which when cooked little by little with regular additions of hot broth gradually give up their surface starch to produce a creamy sauce that cloaks the tender but still chewy grains.
As interested as I am in both traditional foods and healthy cooking, I’ve recently been exploring ways to make risotto using other grains. And I found that a very delicious and nutritious version of that recipe results from using farro, an earthy-tasting ancient grain. Archaeologists have traced the origins of farro back to the Middle East, where Roman soldiers in Egypt first ate farro and brought it back to Italy. Since that time, it has become a valued food crop, prized for its rich, nutty flavor, chewy texture, digestibility, generous amounts of dietary fiber, vitamins (including B3), minerals (especially iron) and protein.
Please give my easy recipe for Farro Risotto With Wild Mushrooms a try this coming Columbus Day; then continue making it regularly throughout autumn and winter. Try it as a base for grilled or sauteed poultry, meat or seafood; or, just before serving, fold in bite-sized pieces of al dente sauteed or steamed vegetables to make a vegetable main course or side dish, which you can certainly transform into a vegan dish if you use vegetable broth. And if you can’t find the wild varieties of mushrooms, feel free to prepare the risotto with regular cultivated mushrooms instead.
I hope you’ll find this farro recipe a pleasure to prepare and eat. And just think: Columbus and his crewmen may have enjoyed some version of this ancient grain over 500 years ago!
FARRO RISOTTO WITH WILD MUSHROOMS
Serves 4
Wild mushroom puree:
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1/2 pound assorted wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, morels, porcini, shiitakes, creminis and portobellos, trimmed, wiped clean and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons dry sherry or Madeira
1 cup good-quality canned low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Farro risotto:
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup uncooked farro
4 cups good-quality canned low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, plus a little extra as needed, heated to a bare simmer in a saucepan
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
A few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley (or another herb) for garnish
Directions:
First, make the wild mushroom puree: In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and saute, stirring frequently, until it begins to turn glossy and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat slightly, add the mushrooms and saute, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender and most of their liquid has evaporated. Add the sherry or Madeira, stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan. Stir in the stock. When it is hot, carefully puree the mixture with an immersion blender, or transfer it to a blender, in batches if necessary, and puree, following manufacturer’s instructions to avoid splattering. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the farro risotto, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, and saute until glossy and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the farro, and stir until the grains are completely coated with the oil and smell slightly toasty, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of the hot stock, reduce the heat slightly to maintain a light simmer, and cook, stirring continuously, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 3 minutes. Continue adding stock in this way, 1/2 cup at a time, while stirring constantly, until the farro grains are tender but still slightly firm and chewy, 20 to 25 minutes.
Stir in the reserved wild mushroom puree, and cook until the mixture is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the sherry vinegar.
Spoon the risotto into shallow serving bowls. Garnish with herbs, and serve immediately.