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FARRO RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS & SPINACH
Celebrate spring with a creamy whole-grain risotto that showcases spring vegetables! Farro is an ancient variety of wheat called emmer. With its nutty flavor, fast cooking time and creamy consistency, it makes an excellent whole-grain substitute for white Arborio rice in a comforting risotto. This dish may have a reputation for being difficult and labor intensive, but risotto is actually a pretty easy way to get a healthy, one-pot meal on the table. There is no need to chain yourself to the stove while you make risotto; just keep an eye on the pot to make sure it doesn’t dry out completely and stir regularly.
INGREDIENTS
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 large carrot, diced (1/2 cup)
1 cup pearled farro
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 (1-pound) bunch asparagus, stem ends snapped off, peeled if desired, cut into 1 ¼ inch-pieces
6 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
PREPARATION
1. Bring broth to a simmer in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to low and keep broth at a bare simmer.
2. Heat oil in Dutch oven or deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; cook, stirring often, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add farro and garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine; cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 seconds. Add about 1 cup of the hot broth; cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, 3 to 4 minutes. Continue to simmer briskly, stirring often and adding additional broth, about ½ cup at a time and waiting until most of the liquid has been absorbed before adding more, for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in asparagus. Continue to simmer, stirring often and adding broth as needed (add a little boiling water if you run out of broth), until farro and asparagus are tender and risotto has a slightly creamy consistency, about 5 minutes more. Add spinach and stir until it has wilted. Remove pot from heat. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, butter (or olive oil), and pepper. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 (1-cup) main dish servings or 8 (1/2-cup) side-dish servings.
Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 340. Total fat: 8 grams. Saturated fat: 3.5 grams. Cholesterol: 15 milligrams. Sodium: 490 milligrams. Carbohydrates 47 grams: Fiber: 7 grams. Protein: 18 grams.
Per ½-cup serving: Calories: 170. Total fat: 4 grams. Saturated fat: 2 grams. Cholesterol: 10 milligrams. Sodium: 250 milligrams. Carbohydrate: 23 grams: Fiber: 4 grams. Protein: 9 grams.
Nutrition Note: As a delicious harbinger of spring, asparagus is one of the most celebrated of all vegetables. And, it is also loaded with nutritional benefits. Asparagus is a good source of B vitamins, including thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6 and folate. It is also high in fiber and potassium.
Recipe by Patsy Jamieson
