Healthy Living: Farro with Wild Mushrooms

One of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes growing up was my mom's Brown Rice. (And let's be honest–it still is!) It's actually not brown rice at all: it's regular white rice that is baked with a can of beef consommé, a can of French onion soup, a can of mushrooms, and a stick of butter. The end result has a golden brown color (thus the name) and a deliciously rich flavor. And the house always smells heavenly while it's in the oven. However, the high levels of fat (from the butter) and the intense levels of sodium (from the canned soups) made me a bit hesitant to make this dish for our Thanksgiving this year.

So I set out to create a healthier version of my childhood favorite. I wanted to make a dish that still had the lovely golden color, intense mushroom flavor, and pleasantly grainy texture as my mom's Brown Rice, but with less fat and sodium. I got to work, substituting farro (a high-fiber Italian grain) for the rice and replacing the canned mushrooms with sautéed fresh mushrooms. I eliminated the cans of soup just added a little white wine, garlic, and fresh thyme for flavor. And rather than butter, I just used a bit of heart-healthy olive oil.

The end result? Definitely different than my mom's original dish, but it was still intensely flavorful–without feeling so heavy. I love the nutty flavor and the chewy texture of the farro, and of course, the fresh mushrooms taste so much better than the canned. I certainly won't turn down my mom's Brown Rice the next time she's making it, but in the meantime, it's nice to have a healthy alternative. I'm actually serving this in lieu of a traditional stuffing at my Thanksgiving dinner this year–hopefully it will be so good that nobody will miss the Brown Rice or the Stove Top!

FARRO WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Serves 8

One (1.1 pound) bag farro
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 1/2 pound assorted mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, chanterelle, porcini, etc.), cleaned, trimmed, and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine

Place the farro in a large pot and cover with cold water. Let soak for 15-20 minutes while you prep your other ingredients. Drain the farro and place back in pot. Cover with 2 quarts of water.

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 25 minutes; drain. The grains should be tender but still slightly chewy.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Sauté the garlic and shallot for 2 minutes or until fragrant (do not let brown). Add the mushrooms and thyme and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the mushrooms are softened and beginning to brown. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Add the wine and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until the wine evaporates. Stir in the cooked farro and turn off heat. Pour the mixture into a bowl and let cool slightly.

MAKE AHEAD: Cook the farro mushroom mixture a day or two in advance and keep in the refrigerator. Just before serving, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet and add the farro mushroom mixture. Sauté for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently, until the farro mushroom mixture is heated through. Season with additional salt and pepper (if needed) and garnish with extra thyme leaves.