Words by Beth Kempton ~ I’ll be sharing more about Kempton’s work along with another winter read recommendation with subscribers in January. Some beautiful, hopeful, empowering writing to take with us through the colder, darker, contemplative season.
Perfect for cuddling up with a warm bowl of soup! (surrounded by twinkle lights).
Here’s a closer look at today’s recipe:
POWERFUL ALLIUMS
Beyond making soup taste delicious, this humble family of vegetables that includes garlic, onion and leek (all represented here today!) are rife with immune supportive compounds that are associated with multiple health benefits. If anyone else wants to geek out on the science based health benefits of alliums, there’s a great metanalysis here.
FARRO
An ancient grain and distant relative to wheat, farro has a more interesting texture (like pearled barley, that irresistible chewiness that’s perfect in soup) and a nutty flavor. Nutritionally it is superior to wheat in both its protein and fiber content.
You can use farro in whole form, which retains the grain’s full suite of nutrients but takes longer to cook, or use semi-pearled or pearled varieties which have slightly less fiber (not to worry you’ll make up for it with the veggies) but takes much less time to cook and retains that gorgeous chewy character.
TYPES OF FARRO & COOKING TIMES
Sodium
The thing about salt is that you can always add more at the end to accommodate taste preferences but if you start out by adding too much, you’re stuck with it. Salt preferences and dietary requirements vary; my approach with this soup is to salt lightly as I go along, and then decide whether to add more before serving. Something else to keep in mind is the sodium level of the broth you’re working with.
I do have a bit of a thing for mason jars and twine… makes a perfect gift (or pretty storage in your own fridge).
- 1 yellow onion, small dice
- 4 garlic cloves (or to taste), minced or smashed & finely chopped
- 227 g (1 cup) container of sliced mushrooms, washed and broken into smaller pieces (I just break with my fingers while rinsing the mushrooms).
- 2 leek stalks, chopped (remove dark tough tops, cut the remaining white-green part of leek in half lengthwise before chopping - if leek is especially large, cut halves into quarters).
- 450 g (about 4 large) carrots, peeled & chopped
- 110 g (3/4 cup) pearled farro*
- 2 L (48 oz) vegetable stock
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp dried Herbes de Provence
- salt & pepper to taste
- NB: I salt a little throughout and then adjust as needed at the end. There is no specific quantity, this will depend on personal preference (dietary requirements) and also how much sodium is in the stock you're using.
- In a roomy pot or skillet of choice, sauté onion and garlic over low-medium heat with some olive oil for about 5-7 minutes adding a sprinkle of salt and pepper until onion is translucent. Reserve onion/garlic for later (I use a 'holding' bowl beside stove).
- Add mushrooms to the same skillet (adding touch more olive oil as needed) and sauté over medium-high temp until nicely seared, adding a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Reserve to same holding bowl with onion/garlic.
- Add leek and carrots to the same skillet over medium heat allowing them to sauté for a couple minutes until their colors begin to brighten and glisten. Sprinkle with herbs: oregano, parsley and Herbes de Provence*
- Return onion/garlic/shrooms to skillet with carrot and leek, adding a sprinkle of salt & pepp and stirring.
- Add pearled farro (or precooked farro of choice) and 1.5 Liters of vegetable stock to start.
- Bring soup to a boil and then reduce to simmer for about 10-15 minutes just until the farro is slightly soft and chewy (al dente).
- Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- As the soup 'sits' or rests in fridge, the farro will continue to absorb water, so when you reheat, simply add more stock as required to achieve desired consistency. You may also add water if preferred.
Herbes de Provences -- if you don't have Herbes de Provence, you can use some thyme, basil, rosemary and/or tarragon (any combination of whatever you have on hand for that ½ tsp quantity).
cheers to creating cozy corners, finding light and resting in simple comforts
What a gorgeous soup, perfect for the blustery cold days we’ve been having. Happy New Year to you and your family. May 2021 bring you continued good health and happiness.
Happy first day of 2021 Kelly! I hope you NY eve was peaceful and fun and that 2021 starts with many good things. Your soup is certainly a good thing to start with. So comforting and tasty. I do have a bag of farro in the pantry wondering what to do with it. Now I know. With the cold weather we are making 1 to 2 soups a week, so this will be added to the line up. This week your lime coconut soup is on the menu again. I make that soup often because we both love it. That’s why I looking forward to this farro soup because you haven’t failed me yet. :) Have a wonderful day my friend.
Ah, what a nice note to wake up to… thank you MJ and cheers to fresh moments in 2021 and peace on earth <3
so flattered about the lime coconut soup! thank you for sharing that with me; I hope this brew brings some comfort too if you decide to try. Have a lovely Sunday friend, x
Kelly – thanks for the beautiful and uplifting post! I love the idea of hot soup on a winter’s day and your photos and presentation in this post really bring it to life.
so nice to see you here Mr. G, thank you for your support x