I started a new job last week, which while exciting has sadly left me little time to cook during the week. So on Sunday I made sure to set aside a chunk of time to hang out in the kitchen and make something super time consuming to make up for a week of neglect.
And what’s more time consuming than risotto? All that pouring and stirring and watching and waiting. Well it was bliss to me, and I could tell my stovetop really missed me.
I went for a nontraditional risotto here. As you might know, I’m heavy into the ancient miracle grains so instead of rice I used farro. Farro resembles brown rice, but has a rich nutty taste and happens to be packed with fiber and nutrients. Italians use it a lot (or so I’m told by my Italian friend, she could be lying for all I know), so it seems natural to use it here. Broad beans, peas, mint and lemon punctuate the grain base adding a summery and decidedly English vibe. Perfect for a summer Sunday.
Ingredients
serves six
3 ½ cups faro
4 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups shelled peas
1 cup shelled broad beans
zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
6 cups low sodium vegetable stock
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 ½ tablespoons fresh oregano, roughly chopped
1 handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 handful fresh mint, roughly chopped
Method
Plop farro into a bowl and cover with water. Soak for ten minutes.
In a small pot bring 2 cups salted water to boil. Add broad beans and boil for five minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and remove the beans from their skins. Set aside.
Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, knock it down to a simmer.
While the vegetable stock is heating up, heat oil in a separate large stockpot. Sauté onion over medium heat until soft, about five minutes. Add garlic and sauté one more minute.
Drain farro and add to stockpot. Stir to coat with onions and oil. Add simmering stock to the faro mixture, one cup at a time, stirring constantly until all the liquid is absorbed. Add another cup of stock and repeat the process until farro is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Once tender, stir in cayenne, salt and pepper. If you’re not using low sodium stock, go easy on the salt at first, and taste to make sure you don’t over do it.
Stir in peas and broad beans and let heat through for about three minutes.
Stir in oregano, parsley, mint and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Turn off heat and let rest from five minutes before serving.
Image © Yvonne Penzakov BitchBuzz.com