Mushroom and Farro Chowder – Recipe!

Mushroom and Farro Chowder is a warm bowl of hardy flavors that really tastes delightful on a chilly evening when you’re craving something delicious.

Mushrooms like cremini, button or shiitake create some of the best soups and chowders.  They have an earthiness that gently highlights other ingredients like rustic farro.  Farro is an Italian ancient grain that most of us have become familiar with over the years.  It’s used in soups, stews and salads, and makes one fantastic risotto, if you haven’t tried it.  However, it’s super tasty pureed chunky along with mushrooms and a few other things in one pot, creating a chowder that’s meaningfully bold, yet delicate and quite tasty.

This big bowl of chowder has a porridge-like consistency and makes a pretty hardy meal.  I like to sprinkle parmesan cheese over top to finish the chowder and create an Italian dish that’s super satisfying.

Ingredients

1 shallot, minced

8 ounces button, cremini, or shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

8 ounces farro, either 10-minute or regular

2 teaspoons better than chicken bouillon or 2 cubes chicken bouillon

4 1/2 cups boiling water

2 cups baby spinach

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

olive oil for cooking

(Serves 4)

To Prepare:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add shallot and stir.  Cook for 3 minutes, then add mushrooms.
2. Stir and cook mushrooms for 4 minutes.  Add salt and pepper, stir.
3. Add farro and stir to combine.  Cook for 2 minutes to toast slightly.
4. Add bouillon and water, stir.  Place lid ajar and reduce heat to low.  Cook for 5 minutes, if using quicker cooking farro, 25 minutes if using regular.
5. Remove lid and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes depending upon type of farro.  Add more water to longer cooking farro, if needed.
6. Turn off heat and puree slightly if using a immersion blender, or remove 1/2 of chowder and puree it in a stand blender, then add it back into pot.
7. Stir in spinach until wilted and ladle soup into bowls.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!