Description
The use of barley is a great alternative when you dont have risotto rice or just for a nice change.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup of pearled barley
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
- 30gm butter (1 oz)
- 2–4 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup of cream ( or low fat substitute)
- 30gm grated Parmesan (1oz or more if you like)
- 3 cups (approx) of stock- I used chicken
- 250gm – 300gm field mushrooms (8-10oz)
- 1– 2 Tablespoon of balsamic glaze or a very sweet thick balsamic
- salt and pepper
- extra olive oil for roasting mushrooms
- ½ bunch of chives, chopped into pieces.
Instructions
- Using a shallow sided medium pot sweat the onion, garlic and 2 -3 mushrooms roughly cut in 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. When heated through add the barley and saute until coated and hot. Add 1 cup of stock and a little salt and pepper . Let this almost absorb before adding another cup of stock.
- While the risotto is cooking chop the mushrooms into quarters and toss with some oil and salt and pepper and either bake or toss in a hot fry pan till cooked. You may need to add a little more oil. Toss the chives & balsamic into the mushrooms and mix. Set aside and keep warm.
- Add ½ a cup more stock and check the barley for doneness. If it still has a firm centre add the other ½ cup of stock and turn right down and put a lid on the pot. This will encourage the barley to absorb as much stock as possible.
- Open the pot and add the butter, cream and parmesan and taste for salt and pepper.
- Serve with the field mushrooms and extra parmesan. Serve this as it is or with steak or meat dishes. Add basil or other herbs such as thyme or rosemary. You could also make it with porcini mushrooms
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main