Farro, Cannellini Bean, Chickpea, and Mussels in Broth
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 16
Ingredients
  • 3 cups water
  • 1½ cups farro (or pearled barley)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped carrot
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 2 cup chopped onion
  • 3 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 cans chickpeas
  • 2 cans cannellini beans
  • 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt, plus more if needed
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 4 pounds mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
  • ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
  1. Bring the 3 cups of water to boil in a medium saucepan over high heat; add the farro, cover, and return to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until the farro is just barely tender, about 45 minutes.
  2. While the farro is cooking, heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add carrot, celery, and onion, and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, ¼ cup olive oil, and chickpeas, and just enough water to barely cover the mixture. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  3. When the farro is cooked, add it to the stockpot along with the cannellini beans, salt and red pepper flakes. Stir together, cover, and set aside (or refrigerate if serving the next day).
  4. Pour the remaining ¼ cup olive oil into a large sauté pan over medium high heat and add the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes then add all the mussels at once. Stir the mussels a bit, then cover and cook over medium high heat until the mussels open fully, about 3-4 minutes. Be sure to uncover the pan every minute or so to stir the mussels to ensure they all open.
  5. Shuck the mussels right over the pan, letting the juices and meat drop in. Discard the shells (and any mussels that did not open). If serving immediately, stir the cooked mussels and their juices into the farro and beans. The consistency should be very broth. Stir in the chopped parsley and serve. Drizzle with high quality extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.
  6. If serving the next day, place the mussels and their juices into a covered container in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, heat the farro and beans to a simmer, stir in the mussels and their juices, and continue cooking until heated through. Stir in fresh parsley before serving.
Recipe by Cooking With Michele® at https://cookingwithmichele.com/2015/01/mussels-with-farro-cannellini-bean-and-chickpeas/