barley risotto
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| Sun, 03-02-2008 - 8:11am |
This is the recipe for barley risotto I used for dinner last night. There is a recipe for "creamy barley" on the boards as well as this recipe. I opted to use this one since I thought the cheese would go well with the rest of the meal. It was a bit of work, since it's made like a traditional risotto with lots of stirring, but it was well worth it. I'll definitely make it again. DH enjoyed it too.
Oh, and it says 6 first-course servings --- but it serves at least 6 as a side dish. We each had about a cup and I have three full cups left over!
Deb
BUTTERY BARLEY RISOTTO WITH PARMESAN CHEESE
In this recipe from Rick Tramonto, chef at Tru in Chicago, chewy pearl barley meets silky European butter in an outstanding alternative to arborio rice risotto. For best results, use Parmigiano-Reggiano.
6 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
6 tablespoons unsalted European-style butter (I subbed 1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil in the beginning and did add 1 1/2 tablespoons butter at the end --- but that's spread over about 10 servings!)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 cups pearl barley (about 13 ounces), rinsed, drained
1 6-ounce package 3-inch-diameter portobello mushrooms, stemmed, gills scraped, caps sliced (I didn't have any on hand so omitted. Would be good, though.)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces) (I know the recipe calls for good parm, but I used the bagged shredded kind and it was still delicious!)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Bring broth to simmer in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cover to keep warm. Melt 2 tablespoons butter (use olive oil) in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add barley; stir until coated with butter (oil), about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup broth; simmer, stirring often, until broth is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until barley is tender but still firm to bite and risotto is creamy, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, herbs, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter to risotto; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper (it took a fair bit of both for my taste). Divide risotto among bowls and serve.
Makes 6 first-course servings.
