A Healthier Risotto, Part II

A while back I posted a recipe for a yummy risotto using whole grain farro instead of arborio rice.  I thought it was perfect.  Then I was asked to do a cooking demo at the Union Street Festival and I consulted with Tom of TomFoolCookery.com about what I should fix.  He knew I was pretty pleased with my new "farrotto" recipe, and suggested I do that.  I fixed it for him and he made a couple suggestions that transformed it from what I thought was perfect to.....perfecter (oh, let's just make that a word!).

I had always made my risotto with wine and broth, per the traditional recipes that I learned from (yes, that's a dangling preposition from a former English teacher, but you'll have to get used to that).  I had started adding the wine at the end of the process rather than at the beginning, and Tom thought that it left a bitter taste.  He suggested that I try using white wine vinegar instead.  I'm always game to try something new, and I love what vinegar adds to lots of other dishes I make, so I gave it a go.  What an unbelieveable flavor enhancer!  Wine was now out for me.

Next was the onion.  Classic risotto recipes start with sauteeing onions, and that didn't change in my farrotto.  But after cooking for 30-45 minutes, the onions are obviously very soft, and almost unrecognizable.  They've done their job of flavoring the dish, but they no longer add any texture.  The only thing I prize more than "pretty" in my cooking is texture.  So he suggested that I add another 1/2 cup of diced onion toward the end of cooking.  Again, I have to give him props on that suggestion.

The response that our farrotto received today (lots of "Oh my!", "YUM!" and "This is soooo good!") has caused me to rewrite that original recipe.  If you liked the first one, which I've heard many of you have, give this one a try.  You won't be sorry.....

Farrotto

Serves 4-6

8 cups vegetable broth* (Trader Joe's low sodium is still my fave)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups diced onions, divided

2 teaspoons chopped garlic (more if you'd like)

2 cups farro

1 bunch asparagus, cleaned, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves (use lemon thyme if you can find it; BTW,  it's easy to grow)

1 lb shelled English peas

1/4 cup half & half (highly recommend local, organic Straus Family)

1/2 cup goat gouda

Sea salt & pepperr to taste

• Bring broth to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer. (A boil is a belly laugh; a simmer is a giggle.)
• Bring a separate pot of water to boil.
• In a large, deep-sided skillet heat butter and oilve oil.
• Add onions and saute for 3-5 minutes until translucent and beginning to soften.
• Add garlic and saute an additional minute, stirring constantly.
• Add farro and stir to coat all grains.  Continue toasting grains for 1-2 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of broth and stir, stir stir.
• Once liquid has evaporated, add another cup of broth and continue stirring constantly.
• Repeat process until farro is soft, about 30-45 minutes.  (Taste the texture after 30 minutes; farro should be softened, like al dente pasta.)
• While farro is cooking place asparagus in boiling water and cook 2 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water. 
• When farroto is near done, add white wine vinegar.  Taste and add more if necessary.
• Add remaining 1/2 cup diced onoin, lemon zest, thyme, asparagus and peas stirring to combine.
• Add half & half and cheese, stirring to combine.
• Season to taste with salt & pepper. 

You'll thank me even more now!  And go ahead, thank Tom, too.