California is on fire. At least it seems like that’s the case. A few days ago I awakened to the pungent scent of something that was reminiscent of a campfire that’d recently been extinguished. It was the odor of a 70 acre brush fire being put out a few miles (5 miles to be exact) from my neighborhood. It’s 100 percent contained, fortunately, but homes in other areas of California have not been as fortunate. Fingers crossed that all of these fires will die off soon! This summer heat has been brutal.
Today I’m sharing this vegetarian main course that I’ve adapted from Vanilla and Bean. The photos on Traci’s blog are gorgeous and tell a story all on their own. If any of you have time to check out the original recipe or the photos, you definitely should head on over there. Traci’s quite the talented photographer!
As for me, I’ve been obsessed with all of the flavors in this dish. It contains roasted fennel with farro (one of my favorite whole grains), mushrooms, and great northern beans! If you’re looking for something with savory umami flavors and various textures, this one is definitely the one for you! It is so incredibly easy to make and to die for. It’s actually somewhat similar to my Baked Farro with Teriyaki Tofu, so if you like that dish, you’d probably also like this one.
First step is caramelizing the fennel in the oven so that it turns a beautiful golden color.
Although my favorite part of the dish is the fennel, Mark’s least favorite part of the dish is the fennel. Try making this dish and let us know which part of this dish you like best!
- 5 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 cup parmesan cheese (omit if vegan)
- 2 large fennel bulbes (sliced to ¼ inches)
- 1 cup uncooked farro
- 2 cups vegetable broth (low sodium)
- ¼ cup water
- 12 oz. mushrooms (sliced)
- ½ yellow onion (diced)
- 15 oz. can of great northern beans (drained)
- ½ lemon zested and juiced
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
- Cut off the stems and the base of the fennel. Slice the fennel into ¼ inch slices.
- Line silicone mat on a baking sheet and spread 1 Tbsp of olive oil over the mat. Place the sliced fennel onto the mat, but don't have them overlap. Brush the tops of the fennel with olive oil.
- Roast the fennel in the oven for 25-30 minutes (until a golden brown as seen in the picture) and then remove them from the oven.
- While the fennel is in the oven, get a small pot and heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and uncooked farro and sautee for about 3-4 minutes. Add 2 cups of vegetable broth to the pot and allow the farro to simmer on low heat and uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil and add the onions. Cook until they are translucent, then add the mushrooms. Cook until they are browned on the outside (not yet shrunken or too soft). Remove them from the heat.
- In a large bowl, mix the mushrooms, great northern beans, farro, lemon juice, ¼ cup water, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and pepper together. Taste and add salt or other seasonings to taste.
- Grease a large baking dish and pour the farro mixture into it and spread it out. Lay the roasted fennel on top of the farro mix. Some of the edges may overlap.
- In a small bowl, mix the dijon, salt, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese (if not vegan), and lemon zest together. Spread this mixture evenly over the top of the fennel.
- Reduce the oven heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the dish for 20 minutes. Then broil at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-3 minutes (this will make the top crisp and turn golden, but make sure to keep a close eye on it).
- Remove from the oven, serve, and enjoy!
It comes out of the oven looking very crispy and golden!
And it tastes so good!
All of these ingredients should be easily found in your local grocery store or any Trader Joe’s. Hope you enjoy eating this and staying happy and healthy y’all!
Glad to hear all is safe by you! It has been a brutal summer, even here on the east coast. This looks FABULOUS! I love Traci’s blog and love how you adapted this recipe!
Yeah the heat this summer has been crazy. Global warming, eek! And thank you! 🙂
Some of my favorite flavors/textures/foods right there in one dish! Pinning to make this for sure!
Whoo hoo! Thanks and I hope you enjoy 🙂
I love pairing mushrooms and farro! Your presentation is beautiful, pinning for later!
Thank you! And yeah, for some reason mushrooms and farro together = AMAZING flavor!
Yum! I’m such a huge fan of farro and am always looking for new ways to use it.
Me too! I love using it for fried rice. Have you ever tried it that way?