Mashed potatoes, bread and white rice, the starch dishes balancing out a perfectly portioned meal, aren’t very rousing. The next time you need to liven up a bland plate, whip up this creamy, colorful risotto with farro, a nutritious, ancient grain. With added flavor from butternut squash and maple bacon, this mouthwatering side may become your only dish.
Butternut Squash-Bacon Risotto with Farro
Ingredients
1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro, soaked overnight
1-½ cups roasted butternut squash, cubed or mashed
3 strips bacon, diced
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup shallot or onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. nutmeg
5 – 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup butter
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
5 sage leaves, torn into small pieces
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- In a small pot over low heat, heat broth.
- In a medium pot, fry bacon bits until crispy. Remove bacon from pot and set aside. Keep about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot.
- In the medium pot, sauté butter and diced shallots for about 2 minutes, or until soft. Add drained and rinsed farro, garlic and nutmeg and toast for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add white wine, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, and simmer until all liquid has evaporated.
- Add broth about a cupful at a time and continue to stir frequently. Once the liquid has evaporated, continue to add more broth. Repeat until all broth has been used. Then, remove from heat.
- Add butternut squash, bacon, parmesan cheese, maple syrup and sage. Season to taste with salt and pepper.