Farrotto with Bok Choy, Shiitake Mushrooms and Eggplant

21 Feb Farrotto with Bok Choy, Shiitake Mushrooms and Eggplant

Farro is one of my favorite whole grains to cook. It has a delicious nutty flavor, and is full of protein and fiber. It makes a healthy alternative to white rice or pasta, and should be added to your regular cooking rotation.

This version, created by Chef Greg McPhee from The Anchorage Restaurant in Greenville, SC, takes farro and turns into a farrotto. A farrotto is a risotto created with farro instead of rice.  Moreover, while a risotto usually has lots of butter and fat, this farrotto is vegan, even more delicious, and simpler to make. It’s also much healthier.

It takes a little skill to create this farrotto, but with a little practice, you can easily get the hang of it. If you would rather make it more simply, then cook the farro the same way you would cook pasta, and then follow the simpler version below to create a final dish that will still burst with fresh vegetables, herbs and flavor. By using multiple aromatics – ginger, garlic and scallions, and then seasoning along the way to make sure every bite is delicious, we make sure this magnificent dish will not disappoint. Watch the video to see Greg, the master, create the dish and I encourage you to change it up to your liking.

#ChangeYourBuds from white rice or traditional risotto to this healthier and even more delicious version.

Enjoy

Farrotto with Bok Choy, Shiitake Mushrooms and Eggplant

The Cooking Doc®

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Course Side Dish

Servings 4

Calories 201.83 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• – 4 scallions chopped. Separate the white stems from the green shoots
• – 1 shallot chopped
• – 1 teaspoon of grated or finely chopped ginger
• – 1 small purple eggplant cut into small wedges
• – 3-4 shitake mushrooms sliced
• – 12 leaves of Bok Chok
• – 2 Tablespoons of fresh herbs chopped parsley works great
• – 1 lime
• – Cooked farro

Instructions

 

• Farrotto
• Heat a medium pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil once the pan is hot
• Allow the olive oil to heat for 1-2 minutes
• Add the onion and garlic
• Cook 2-3 minutes until tender
• Add the dried farro and toast until it becomes aromatic
• Add a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan
• Slowly add the no sodium vegetable stock, ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently until the farro is to the preferred consistency. Usually takes 2-3 cups. The Farro should not be blown out – if it is, that means you’ve added too much stock and it will be over cooked, mushy and have less bite to it. Watch closely.
• Set aside.
• Final Dish
• Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat
• Add extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan
• Add scallion bottoms (whites), ginger and shallot to the pan
• Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes until aromatic
• Add the shitake mushrooms and eggplant. Stir.
• When the shallots start to caramelize a bit, add the bok choy and a sprinkle of sea salt. Stir.
• Add the green onion tops and the cooked farro to the pan
• Continue to scrape the bottom of the pan as you cook
• Deglaze the pan with the no sodium vegetable stock (or if you’re a professional you can use the lacto fermented shitake liquid.
• Stir frequently
• Add freshly ground pepper and fresh herbs
• Heat through for 1-2 minutes
• Remove from heat
• Add a squeeze of lime juice
• Serve warm

Notes

For a simpler recipe, just make the farro like this:

Add 1 cup of Farro and 3 cups of sodium vegetable broth to a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook 15-25 minutes until the farro is tender by taste and not blown out. (You have to taste it, and taste frequently!). Drain and serve.

For a lower carbohydrate and more diabetic friendly version, eat only a 1/2 cup portion size

For a lower potassium modification, substitute brown rice for farro. DIsh will still be medium potassium not low potassium.

Nutrition

Serving: 5CupsCalories: 201.83kcalCarbohydrates: 40.72gProtein: 7.79gFat: 1.32gSodium: 128.7mgPotassium: 443.46mgSugar: 4.23gCalcium: 83.44mgMagnesium: 21.04mgPhosphorus: 44.88mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!