Farro & leek soup with mushrooms & chicken meatballs
Oof…couple of rough days with these California storms and no power at my house. Woke up today and immediately wanted soup. Like a big warm hug.
This is the January 15 recipe in my Soup of the Day cookbook. In the book it calls for barley. I had farro; farro it is.
XO, km
THE DISH:
farro & leek soup with mushrooms & chicken meatballs | seven 6-8
THE STUFF:
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp EVOO
3 leeks, white and pale green parts, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher S+P
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups farro
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, might need more
MEATBALLS:
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup panko
2 Tbsp chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
1 Tbsp tomato paste
THE HOW-TO:
Warm the butter and EVOO in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add leeks and garlic and season with S+P. Sauté, stirring often, until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms (and another swirl of EVOO if needed) and sauté until soft, 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and white wine, stir to combine and cook for 4 minutes.
Add the farro and the broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until farro is al dente, about 35 minutes. Season again with S+P
While the soup is simmering, make the meatballs. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl combine the chicken, Parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley, tomato paste, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Form into 24 (slightly smaller than ping pong balls) meatballs. Bake for 12 minutes.
Add the meatballs to the soup. If the soup is too thick, you can add more broth. Serve with parsley garnish!