Description
This spring-inspired barley risotto is the perfect way to celebrate the season with a glass of Pinot Grigio wine to match.
Ingredients
Scale
for the broth:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 carrots (peeled + cut into medium chunks)
- 4 stalks of celery (cut into medium chunks)
- 1 onion (peeled + cut into medium chunks)
- 4 garlic cloves (crushed + peeled)
- mushroom trimmings (optional)
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- handful fresh parsley with stems
- handful thyme sprigs
for the risotto:
- 4 cups vegetable broth (recipe above)
- 3 cups water
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups mixed wild mushrooms (trimmed)
- coarse salt
- ½ yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 1 cup 185g pearl barley
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup fresh English peas
- ¼ cup shaved parmesan (plus more for serving)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
- zest of 1 lemon
- freshly cracked black pepper
for serving:
- mixed greens (I used watercress and purple frill)
- olive oil
- coarse salt
- hazelnuts (toasted + chopped)
Instructions
for the broth
- Add the olive oil to stock pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mushroom trimmings (if using), peppercorns, and bay leaves and sauté until just starting to soften, but not brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the parsley and thyme sprigs and 2 ½ quarts of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer, uncovered, until broth is flavorful, about 1 – 1 ½ hours. Remove from heat, strain, and discard solids.
To make the risotto:
- Add the broth and water to a large saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
- In a large cast iron skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Once hot, add the mushrooms and sauté, moving only once or twice, until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and remove from the heat. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate, and set aside.
- Return the pan to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the chopped onion and season generously with salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the barley and stir to combine. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and simmer, stirring frequently, until almost completely evaporated. Add ½ cup of the warm stock mixture and cook, again stirring frequently, until almost completely evaporated. Continue in this fashion, adding broth ½ cup at a time, until the barley is tender and only ½ cup of broth remains (this should take about 50 minutes – 1 hour). Stir in the peas, mushrooms, and remaining ½ cup of broth and simmer until peas are just tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the parmesan, heavy cream, and mascarpone and allow to bubble for about 1 minute longer. (The risotto should be loose, but not soupy. Add more water if you wish to thin it, or let it simmer for a few minutes longer if you find it to be too loose). Stir in the lemon zest, freshly cracked black pepper, and season with salt to taste, to finish.
- To serve, dress the mixed greens lightly with olive oil and season with salt. Spoon the risotto into shallow bowls and top each with a handful of greens, chopped hazelnuts, and parmesan shavings. Enjoy immediately.