Fast-cooking farro, with its nutty taste and plump, chewy texture, is the darling of the grain bowl, the star of numerous salads and the muse of many conventional Italian soups.
It’s additionally fairly great blended with mushrooms and cheese, and baked right into a golden-topped gratin.
Apart from homey rice bakes, there aren’t a variety of grain gratin recipes, presumably as a result of grains are already filling sufficient, needing no further heft from the addition of dairy and eggs.
However within the depths of winter, when rib-sticking dishes are at their most interesting, a farro and mushroom gratin will be precisely proper. And this one works by itself, served as a meatless fundamental course (possibly rounded out with a crisp inexperienced salad), or as a wealthy aspect dish alongside rooster or fish.
Probably the most environment friendly approach to make this recipe is to work via the steps concurrently. Whereas the farro simmers away in a single pot, you’ll be able to brown the mushrooms in a skillet. Simply you should definitely get them deeply bronzed in order that they condense and caramelize.
After that, the shallots want solely a quick stint in that very same skillet, simply sufficient in order that they’re tender and candy.
I added mascarpone to present this gratin an particularly creamy core, however be at liberty to substitute crème fraîche. The mascarpone is plusher and denser, however the pronounced tanginess of crème fraîche is usually a good distinction to the earthiness of the farro and mushrooms.
One factor to bear in mind is that farro can differ wildly amongst manufacturers. Most of what you’ll discover in america is pearled, or semi-pearled, that means that some or the entire bran has been eliminated so it’s faster to prepare dinner. However you can too use whole-grain farro. It’ll take longer to melt (about an hour or so), but it surely’s much more nutritious, and chewier, too, in a great way. Wheat berries and barley may even make fantastic substitutes. And in the event you’re searching for one thing gluten-free, strive wild rice or brown rice. Gratins like this one are straightforward to adapt.
On that notice, you can too change up the greens. Leftover roasted cauliflower, winter squash or Brussels sprouts will all work properly, as will garlicky sautéed kale, and so they make this warming dinner even simpler to organize — although no much less satisfying to eat.
Farro and Mushroom Gratin
Whole time: 45 minutes
On this elegant gratin, nutty farro and earthy mushrooms are baked with herbs and mascarpone right into a creamy casserole topped with Gruyère. It’s a wealthy, meatless meal that wants nothing greater than a crisp inexperienced salad to spherical it out, although it’s additionally a satisfying aspect dish alongside roast rooster or fish. You may put together your complete gratin earlier within the day (go away it at room temperature), then bake it simply earlier than serving — merely add somewhat further time to make sure that it emerges from the oven steaming scorching via and thru. Observe that in the event you’re utilizing tangy crème fraîche as an alternative of mascarpone, you could not want the lemon. Style earlier than squeezing.
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups pearled or semi-pearled farro
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra as wanted
- 1 pound blended mushrooms (akin to oyster, maitake, portobello, shiitake or cremini), minimize into 1 1/2-inch items
- 6 to eight contemporary thyme sprigs
- 1 cup thinly sliced shallots, leeks or onion
- 1 cup mascarpone or crème fraîche
- 1 cup chopped parsley leaves and tender stems, chives, mint or cilantro
- 8 ounces shredded Gruyère (about 1 2/3 cups)
- Lemon wedges, for serving (non-compulsory)
1. Warmth oven to 425 levels. Deliver a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil over excessive warmth.
2. Add farro to the pot, and prepare dinner in line with package deal instructions till tender (which ought to be about 20 to half-hour). Drain properly in a colander. Whereas nonetheless heat (and leaving the farro within the colander, in the event you like), drizzle the grains with sufficient olive oil to coat evenly, tossing properly to forestall from sticking. Put aside.
3. Whereas farro is cooking, put together the mushrooms: In a big ovenproof skillet, warmth 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high till scorching however not smoking. Add sufficient of the mushrooms to cowl the skillet in a single layer with out crowding and half the thyme. Prepare dinner, undisturbed, till bottoms of the mushrooms are golden brown, 3 to five minutes. Stir and let brown on the opposite aspect, 2 to three minutes extra. Use a slotted spoon to switch mushrooms and thyme to a plate, and season with salt and pepper. Add one other 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and repeat with one other layer of mushrooms and thyme, including them to the plate when executed. Repeat with extra mushrooms if obligatory.
4. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and stir in shallots and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté till tender and golden brown, 4 to six minutes.
5. Take away skillet from warmth and return mushrooms to the pan (discarding the thyme sprigs). Stir in farro, mascarpone and three/4 cup parsley. Style and add extra salt and pepper, if wanted. Unfold combination evenly within the skillet and sprinkle Gruyère on high. Bake till the farro is scorching and Gruyère is melted, 10 to fifteen minutes. Activate broiler and broil for 1 to 2 minutes till Gruyère begins to bubble and develop brown spots.
6. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing on high, in the event you’d like.
