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Spring Vegetable Barley Risotto

High in B vitamins.

Customer Rating:
5.0 (1 votes)

Posted by: Rhona
On:

Cuisine

Italian

Time

30 - 60 mins

Skill Level

Confident

Serves

4

Courses etc.

Main Courses
Side dishes
Starters

You will need

IngredientAdd
300g pearl barley More products
2 tbsp olive oil More products
500ml vegetable stock More products
1 onion, finely chopped More products
1 garlic clove, finely chopped More products
200g freshly podded peas

Awaiting stock

 		More products
1 bunch asparagus, bottoms of stalks snapped and stalk finely chopped leaving 2-3cm stem below tips, set aside 2/3rds of the asparagus tips

Awaiting stock

 		More products
20ml whisky, optional
2 medium plum or vine ripened tomatoes diced More products
3 tbsp mint leaves shredded More products
2 tbsp parsley finely chopped

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 		More products
50g hard cheese grated

Awaiting stock

 		More products
1 tbsp butter Available only in our Edinburgh shops More products
salt More products
pepper More products
To Serve:
50g pine nuts toasted More products
1 tbsp hard cheese shavings
asparagus tips, reserved ones, blanched in boiling water for 1 min.
1 tbsp parsley finely chopped

Need help converting measurements? View our recipe measurement conversion tables here.

Method

  • Risotto:
  • Place the oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat.
  • Add the onion and saute until transparent add the garlic and barley to the pan and cook them stirring regularly for 2-3 mins.
  • Gradually stir in half the boiling stock.
  • Bring the stock to a steady simmer and leave it to cook for 20 mins stirring it regularly until almost all the stock has been absorbed.
  • Add the rest of the stock and repeat the process for a further 20 mins, at which time the barley should be tender with a little bite to it and the stock should be mainly absorbed.
  • Add a little more water if the barley is still firm and allow to cook for a further 5 mins approx.
  • Stir in the peas, asparagus and whisky and cook them with the barley for 5 mins so that vegetables are tender.
  • Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the mint, parsley, tomatoes, butter, seasoning and cheese and mix well.
  • To Serve:
  • Place the risotto in serving bowls and place the asparagus sprigs in the centre.
  • Scatter the pinenuts over the top and sprinkle the parsley and hard cheese shavings around the risotto.

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Pearl Barley
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Fresh Parsley UK ORGANIC
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