Farro Bowls with Tofu, Mushrooms, and Spinach - Make your own at home

JD

October 02, 2019

0

healthy-food, tasty-food-recipe

At the base of this bowl is hearty, nutty farro. Farro is traditionally associated with Italy and flavor profiles of the western Mediterranean, but we thought it would stand up well to bold Asian ingredients, so we built a bowl to test that theory. For toppings, we chose crispy seared tofu planks along with simply sautéed mushrooms, shallot, and spinach. We partnered these easy-to-prepare toppings with a potent miso-ginger
sauce. The pairing of the farro with the zing of the Asian ingredients turned out to be a match made in grain bowl heaven. We prefer the flavor and texture of whole-grain farro; pearled farro can be used, but the texture may be softer. We found a wide range of cooking times among various brands of farro, so start checking for doneness after 10 minutes. Do not use quick-cooking farro in this recipe.

Ingredients

MISO-GINGER SAUCE
¼ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons red miso
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1½ teaspoons sherry vinegar
1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
FARRO BOWLS
1½ cups whole farro
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
14 ounces firm tofu, sliced crosswise into 8 equal slabs
⅓ cup cornstarch
¼ cup vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and chopped coarse
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons dry sherry
10 ounces (10 cups) baby spinach
2 scallions, sliced thin

Procedure

1. FOR THE SAUCE Whisk all ingredients in bowl until well combined. Set aside.
2. FOR THE BOWLS Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Stir in farro and 1 tablespoon salt, return to boil, and cook until grains are tender with slight chew, 15 to 30 minutes. Drain farro and return to now empty pot. Drizzle with sesame oil and vinegar, toss to coat, and cover to keep warm.
3. While farro cooks, spread tofu on paper towel–lined baking sheet and let drain for 20 minutes. Gently press dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
4. Spread cornstarch in shallow dish. Coat tofu thoroughly in cornstarch, pressing gently to adhere; transfer to plate. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add tofu and cook until both sides are crisp and browned, about 4 minutes per side, adding more oil as necessary to prevent charring. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate to drain and tent with aluminum foil.
5. In now-empty skillet, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Stir in mushrooms, shallot, and ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables begin to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in sherry and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until skillet is nearly dry, about 1 minute; transfer to bowl.
6. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat in now-empty skillet until shimmering. Add spinach, 1 handful at a time, and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute.
7. Divide farro among individual bowls, then top each bowl with tofu, mushrooms, and spinach. Drizzle with miso-ginger sauce, sprinkle with scallions, and serve.

MISO PRIMER

An essential ingredient in the Japanese kitchen, miso paste is made by fermenting soybeans and sometimes grains (such as rice, barley, or rye) with a mold called koji. Packed with savory flavor, miso is used to season everything from soups and braises to dressings and sauces. Although countless variations of miso are available, three common types are white shiro (despite its name, this miso is light golden in color), red aka, and brownish-black hatcho. Flavor profiles are altered by changing the type of grain in the mix, adjusting the ratio of grain to soybeans, tweaking the amounts of salt and mold, and extending or decreasing the fermentation time, which can range from a few weeks to a few years.

White miso is mild and sweet, red miso nicely balances salty and sweet, and black miso is strong and complex. Though flavor nuances will vary from brand to brand, if you’re looking to keep just one type of

miso on hand, moderately salty-sweet red miso (which is called for in the Miso-Ginger Sauce in this recipe) is a good all-purpose choice. Miso will easily keep for up to a year in the refrigerator (some sources say it keeps indefinitely).