Einkorn Risotto
Milan, Italy: Risotto’s Birthplace Milan. Middle Ages. Rice had become very popular in Italy and Spain, and was about to be introduced the slow cooking style that was popular in the city. By cooking rice in broth, the versatile and flavorful appetizer risotto was born. Now risotto has spread and is popular all over the world and isn’t only eaten as an appetizer. I first ate risotto in Spain and enjoyed the creamy texture and savory flavor. However, white rice isn’t exactly the best thing to put into our bodies. I thought, “Why not try it with einkorn?”
Litle did I know I was not the first one to hatch this plan. Einkorn performs very well in this Italian classic and we reap excellent health benefits on top of it. Anyone who has experience with einkorn knows that its flavor is out of this world. I’ve asked a lot of people why they switched to einkorn. The most common answer is digestion, but the second most common is flavor. So, this isn’t a matter of “health instead of taste.” But while we’re on the subject of health, einkorn is infinitely preferable to rice nutritionally. It’s much more nutrient dense and has 18.2g of protein to brown rice’s 2.6g. Einkorn is naturally lower on the glycemic index than rice, and eating the berries instead of flour makes it so that it enters the bloodstream less quickly. Let’s not forget how much einkorn adds to the texture of this Italian dish. I call that a win-win-win!
We shot in the dark with this recipe, but it turned out delicious. We took what we know about the risotto-making process and adapted it for einkorn. We used peppers, cauliflower, and chicken, but risotto can handle almost anything you want to dish out (pun intended). Feel free to use any vegetables you have around the house. Meat? No meat? Go for it. Einkorn risotto will leave you reeling.
Ingredients
SCALE
- 2 cup Einkorn Berries
- 1 quart Chicken Broth
- 1 Small Yellow Onion Chopped
- 2 clove Garlic Minced
- 2 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 1/2 head Cauliflower Chopped
- 1 Green Pepper Diced
- 1 Red Pepper Diced
- 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 2 cup Shredded Chicken
Instructions
1. In a small saucepan, bring chicken broth to a simmer and then turn down and leave on low heat.
2. In a pot or skillet, saute onions and garlic in coconut oil for about five minutes. (If you're using unsalted broth, you may want to add some salt at this stage)
3. Add einkorn berries and chicken and stir for a couple minutes until einkorn is crackling.
4. Add broth a little at a time. When absorbed, add some more. You can stir the whole time or not, but make sure that you don't leave it so long that the liquid is absorbed and the berries burn. Do not cover with a lid.
5. Once you've added most of the broth, add vegetables and continue until you've added the remainder of the broth.
6. Allow to simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the bottom of the pan is dry.
7. Mix in parmesan cheese and serve.
RELATED RECIPES
There’s something satisfying about using a single ingredient in so many different ways. Einkorn is incredibly versatile, and the recipes below make it easy to bring this ancient grain into your everyday meals. Here are a few to explore:
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PRODUCTS IN THIS RECIPE
Meet the Author
Julie Koyle co founded and has been the driving creative force behind Grand Teton Ancient Grains, a regenerative organic family farm and mill nestled at the base of the Grand Teton foothills in eastern Idaho….
1 thought on “Einkorn Risotto”
Thank you for this delicious recipie. Can’t wait to try it.