Key Ingredient: Farro and Away

What it is: Farro, the Italian name for the ancient grain also known as emmer wheat, is a pleasantly chewy, slightly firm grain with a mildly sweet, nutty flavor. It is cultivated in many parts of Italy, Morocco and southern Europe.

How I discovered it: I used farro in a dish I served at a gathering for which I was thinking about making risotto, but wanted a heartier, more forgiving grain that could withstand a few extra minutes on the stove while I greeted friends and refilled wine glasses. The resulting “farrotto” was a hit, and I’ve been keeping a bag of farro in the pantry ever since. But farrotto—at least the way I make it—is not the healthiest dish; it’s a well-known joke among my friends that most of what I cook begins with a pound of bacon or an immoderate amount of butter or cream (and often, all three!). However, spring is a time for renewal and change—for many of us, this means reflecting on our less commendable habits and making some adjustments. This month, I’m challenging myself to eat a little more mindfully, a little more healthfully and a little lower on the food chain. So when I recently invited my girlfriend over to see my new puppy, I decided to serve a (vegetarian!) white bean, mushroom and farro soup for lunch. The soup bubbled away as we played with my new pup and before long, we were dipping hunks of crusty bread into steaming bowls of the rich soup, thickened by the puréed beans and gilded with a lacy veil of melted Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

How to use it in the kitchen: Farro needs to be soaked for a few hours (or overnight) before being cooked with liquid for at least an hour. It is frequently used in Tuscan soups, or for farrotto (essentially risotto with farro replacing Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice.) You can also toss cooked farro with whatever produce you have in the fridge—try sliced apples, arugula, goat cheese and a lemony vinaigrette—for a lovely new twist on your everyday salad. 

Where to find it: Locally grown farro from Bluebird Grain Farms has made it onto the menus of several Seattle restaurants, including Stumbling Goat, Lark and Dahlia Lounge. For more unique farro-based dishes, check out chef Seth Caswell’s new restaurant, Emmer, opening on South Lake Union this spring. You can order Bluebird Grain farro at bluebirdgrainfarms.com ($6.95/1.3 pounds); farro by other brands is carried at Metropolitan Market (multiple locations, including on Queen Anne, 1908 Queen Anne Ave. N; 206.938.6600; metropolitan-market.com; $7.79/17.5-ounce bag).


Lorna Yee’s Creamy White Bean, Mushroom and Farro Soup
Serves 6