Onion Soup Style Farro Recipes

MUSHROOM AND FARRO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened and moisture has evaporated, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Add farro to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Pour in white wine and cook until wine has mostly evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until farro is softened, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Stir in frozen peas and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Remove soup from heat and discard bay leaf before serving.

ONE-POT FRENCH ONION FARRO

Steps:

• Set a large pot over low heat. Add the olive oil and the onions. Cook, stirring once every 5 minutes or so to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom, until softened and golden brown, about 40 minutes. If the onions start to burn, lower the heat until they're cooking well but not burning.
• Once the onions are caramelized, add the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for one minute.
• Add the wine, stirring until all of the brown bits are scraped up from the bottom of the pan (deglazing). Add the broth, farro, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir. Increase heat to medium-high to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the farro is tender, 20-30 minutes. If the liquid cooks off before the farro is cooked through, add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until cooked. Stir in or top with parsley if desired.
• While the farro simmers, make the crostini. Set the slices of baguette on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil and salt. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of the bread with the oil. Sprinkle individual crostini with Gruyere cheese, if using. Broil on high until toasted and golden brown, 2-5 minutes (the time really depends on your individual broiler. Watch carefully - they can burn fast!)
• To serve, spoon farro into bowls or onto a plate. Top with crostini.

TUSCAN FARRO SOUP

Steps:

• Put oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat; a minute later add onion, celery, carrots, a large pinch of salt and some pepper. Cook until vegetables are glossy and onion is softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, and stir; add farro, beans, tomatoes and stock, and stir.
• Bring to a boil, then adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily. Cook until farro and beans are tender, at least an hour, adding stock or water as necessary if mixture becomes too thick. Stir in parsley and basil (if using), then cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve with lots of Parmesan.

THREE-ONION FARRO SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks, onions, scallion whites, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a couple turns of pepper. Cover and cook, stirring every 4 or 5 minutes, until the onion is very soft, about 15 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary and stirring often, until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes more. (Loosen and scrape up any browned onion with a splash of water as necessary.)
• Stir in the farro and wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken broth, beef broth, Worcestershire, bay leaves and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the farro is tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.
• Preheat the broiler to high with a rack set 4 inches from the heat source.
• Divide the soup among flame-proof serving bowls and sprinkle evenly with the Gruyere. Broil until the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the scallion greens and serve.

BRITISH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Heat most of the butter or dripping in a pan, then add the onions, sugar and herbs. Season and cook, uncovered, over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for up to 40 mins until sticky and brown. pour in the cider and simmer until reduced by half. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then cook for 20 mins.
• To serve, heat the grill to high. Spread the bread on both sides with the remaining butter or dripping, then toast under the grill until golden. Scatter with cheese and place back under the grill until melted. Serve the soup in bowls with a slice of the toast floating in it, scattered generously with parsley.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Peel and cut the onions into slices to measure 4 cups. In a 4-quart nonstick Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in onions to coat with butter. Cook uncovered 10 minutes, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered 35 to 40 minutes longer, stirring well every 5 minutes, until onions are deep golden brown (onions will shrink during cooking).
• Stir in broth, water, pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Heat to boiling over high heat. Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat just enough so mixture bubbles gently. Cover with lid; simmer 15 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the Gruyère cheese by rubbing it across the largest holes of a grater to measure 1 cup; set aside.
• You may need to move the oven rack so it is near the broiler. Set the oven control to broil. On a cookie sheet, place the bread slices. Broil with tops about 5 inches from heat 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Turn bread over; broil 1 to 2 minutes longer until golden brown. Place toasted bread in 4 ovenproof bowls or individual ceramic casseroles (do not use glass, which cannot withstand heat of broiler and may break).
• Remove bay leaf from soup. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with Gruyère cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place bowls in pan with shallow sides.
• Broil soup bowls with tops about 5 inches from heat 1 to 2 minutes or just until cheese is melted and golden brown. Watch carefully so cheese does not burn. Serve with additional French bread if desired.