Carbs? Cheese? Wine? Yes please! Risotto is a classic rice dish from Northern Italy made from a few simple ingredients. With a little bit of elbow grease you can make stellar risotto at home. This preparation takes a few departures from the classic version you may know: I substitute Italian farro for rice, German Alex for Parmesan (blasphemy until you taste it!), and add in some celery and carrot to give it a little more body. Nutty and savory flavors from the farro, cheese, and mushrooms meet sweet lighter notes from the wine and veggies, and the whole dish is bound together with the best beef stock in town. And what better meal to eat with that bottle of wine you just opened?
Mushroom & Farro Risotto
2 c. (360g) Casino di Caprafico Farro
6 c. France 44 Beef Stock, simmering
1 Medium white onion, diced
2 Medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 Ribs celery, diced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 oz. Dried porcini mushrooms
6 oz. Alex (ask your Cheesemonger), grated and divided
½ c. Your favorite red wine
2 T. Extra virgin olive oil
2 T. Butter
Kosher salt
Black Pepper
Parsley to garnish
Soak mushrooms in boiling water for 30 min, or until tender. Drain, reserving soaking liquid, and chop. Set aside
In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter over medium high until shimmering. Add onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook until onions are translucent and tender.
Add garlic. Cook an additional minute or until fragrant.
Add farro and mushrooms and turn to coat evenly.
Add wine. Stir until alcohol has cooked off.
Introduce hot stock to the pot one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly. Continue adding stock gradually and stirring until the farro has absorbed all six cups. The farro should be soft but still have some bite to it, and the sauce should be glossy and thick but not dry. If it needs more liquid, use the mushroom soaking liquid, more stock, or hot water.
Add black pepper to taste and adjust salt. Stir in the Alex, saving a bit to garnish.
Garnish with the rest of the cheese, parsley, and more black pepper.
