Farro with Caramelized Onions & Mushrooms

This little "pilaf" is one of my favorite things to make and especially to eat. It's so versatile that it can be served with fish (See: Sole Meuniere), stuffed into a roasted chicken (can't wait to try that!), or repurposed into a savory breakfast (fast forward to 3:34 in the video for "The Morning After"). It's probably possible to create variations of this recipe substituting the herbs and such, but this is pretty perfect as is. 

Farro with Caramalized Onions & Mushrooms

Richard Ruben, "The Farmer's Market Cookbook"

Ingredients:
2 medium Vidalia onions
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, diced
1/4 pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin
2 tablespoons thyme, leaves only
3 cups low-sodium stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 cup farro or pearled barley
salt and black pepper to taste

Slice the onions into very thin julienne strips. Heat a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the onions and cook until golden, approximately 15-20 minutes, tossing constantly so the onions don't burn. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Add the thyme leaves and slowly pour in the stock. Bring to a boil and then add the grain. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and reduce the temperature to low, simmering for another 20-25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Serve warm.

*If you simmer too low, the liquid may not cook off before the grains are done. If this happens, use a spider spoon or slotted spoon to remove the grains from the cooking liquid to serve. Save the cooking liquid for poaching eggs, for a spectacular and hearty breakfast.