Spring Barley Risotto Recipes

BARLEY RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring broth to a simmer; keep hot., In another small saucepan over medium-high heat, cook and stir the barley for 2-4 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a small bowl. In the same saucepan, saute onion in oil for 2 minutes. Add garlic; saute 1 minute longer or until onion is tender. Stir in barley and wine. Cook and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed. , Add hot broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to absorb between additions. Cook just until barley is almost tender (cooking time is about 45 minutes). Add the parsley and lemon zest; cook and stir until heated through. Serve immediately.

SPRING BARLEY RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add barley and leeks; cook until beginning to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add wine; cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water; bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat; simmer until liquid absorbs, about 10 minutes.
• Add broth and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until barley is tender and creamy, about 10 minutes. Add asparagus; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas until heated through. Add Parmesan and mint; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with mint leaves.

GRILLED VEGETABLE BARLEY "RISOTTO" WITH MARINATED PORTOBELLO STEAK

Steps:

• Mix oil and garlic. In a large bowl, toss the oil with all the vegetables and season well with salt and pepper. On a hot grill, mark and cook the vegetables. Place all the vegetables back in same bowl and seal with plastic wrap to finish cooking. When the vegetables are cool chop everything except the scallions into small pieces and pour any leftover liquid into the vegetable stock. In a 1 quart saucier, add a little butter and saute the shallots. Add the barley and saute for 5 minutes until the barley gets a little 'toasty.' Ladle in stock, one ladle at a time, (like making risotto). Continue adding stock until the barley gets 'creamy.' Season. Add back the vegetables and heat thoroughly. Add the cheese. Check for seasoning.
• In a large pasta bowl, place a mound of barley on the top half of the plate. Slice the Marinated Portobello Mushrooms like it was a steak. Fan out in front of barley and garnish with Basil Oil and basil sprig.
• Mix all together, taste for seasoning and marinate mushroom caps for 1 hour. On a very hot grill, mark and cook caps until hot in the middle.
• In very salted water, blanch basil and spinach for 30 seconds, or until very soft, yet still green. Plunge in ice bath and squeeze out water. Blend at high speed and add salt and the oil. Cover blender and blend for 3 to 4 minutes or until the cup becomes warm.

SHRIMP AND BARLEY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped fennel, garlic, rosemary and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the barley until combined.
• Add the chicken broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the barley is tender but still a bit saucy, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Uncover and stir in the shrimp and peas. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until melted. Stir in the parmesan and 2 tablespoons fennel fronds; season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and top with the remaining fennel fronds.

BARLEY RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• In a medium-size heavy pot, heat oil over medium-low heat just until shimmering. Add vegetables, including garlic and shallots, sprinkle with salt and cook over low heat, stirring, until slightly softened, 10 to 12 minutes. The vegetables should not brown; adjust the heat as needed. Add cream, then add water until vegetables are just covered with liquid. Add coriander and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 25 minutes or until vegetables are very soft. Turn off heat and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove bay leaves and discard. Purée until smooth in a blender or with an immersion blender. Add lemon juice, taste, and season with salt and more lemon juice. (Can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept refrigerated.)
• Meanwhile, in a medium-size heavy pot with a tight fitting lid, melt butter over medium heat until bubbling. Add onion, sprinkle with salt and cook over low heat, stirring, until translucent and softened, 10 minutes. The onions should not brown; adjust the heat as needed. Add barley and cook, stirring constantly, until butter is bubbling again and barley is completely coated. Add stock and bay leaves, reduce heat to very low, cover and let cook, undisturbed, 15 minutes. Stir well and check the liquid: if the pot seems to be drying out, add 1/4 cup water. Repeat every 10 minutes until barley is very tender but not mushy, 35 to 50 minutes. Remove bay leaves and discard.
• Wash chard, then rim off and discard damaged leaves and lower stems. Cut leaves across into wide ribbons. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until shimmering. Add chard ribbons and cook, stirring, just until softened, 3 minutes. Add hot cooked barley to pot and stir. Add vegetable purée and stir. Heat through over low heat, stirring often. Add water if risotto becomes too thick; the finished texture should be soft, creamy and slightly runny. Taste and season with salt and lemon juice. (Recipe can be made up to this point several hours in advance. Set risotto aside until ready to serve.)
• When ready to serve, sprinkle halibut or scallops on both sides with salt. Heat a heavy pan (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil. Working in batches if necessary, place halibut or scallops in the pan and sear about 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn, reduce heat to medium, and cook about 4 minutes longer, turning as needed, until opaque in the center and golden brown on both sides.
• To serve, stir parsley into hot risotto and spoon into shallow bowls. Top with halibut or scallops, more parsley, and a few slices pickled peppers (if using).

TOASTED BARLEY RISOTTO WITH SPINACH AND HERB PURéE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast barley on a rimmed baking sheet until light golden brown and fragrant, 8-10 minutes. Set aside.
• Bring broth to a boil in large saucepan; reduce heat to low and keep broth warm.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add barley, thyme, bay leaf, and 2 cups warm broth to skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until broth is almost absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add remaining broth by 1/2-cupfuls, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more and stirring often, until barley is tender and mixture is creamy, 40-50 minutes (you may not use all the broth). Remove bay leaf.
• Meanwhile, cook spinach and parsley in a large pot of boiling salted water until leaves are bright green and just wilted, about 5 seconds. Drain; transfer to a bowl of ice water and let cool. Drain and squeeze well to remove excess water.
• Coarsely chop spinach and parsley, then purée with oil and a splash of water in a blender, adding more water as needed, until smooth. Set spinach purée aside.
• Mix garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice into barley mixture, then mix in Parmesan 1/4-cupful at a time, stirring until melted and well combined before adding more. Mix in remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
• Remove barley risotto from heat and mix in spinach purée and herbs; season with salt and pepper.

RISOTTO-STYLE BARLEY WITH SPRING GREENS

Steps:

• Generously spray heavy large pot with nonstick spray. Place pot over medium-high heat. Add half of leeks and half of fennel to pot. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, then barley. Add 2 1/2 cups broth and saffron. Simmer until liquid is almost absorbed, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add remaining leeks, fennel and 4 cups broth. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until barley is tender and mixture is creamy, stirring often, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook lima beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain.
• Add lima beans, spinach, Parmesan cheese and chopped basil to barley and stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to 6 shallow bowls. Garnish with basil sprigs and serve.

BARLEY RISOTTO

Steps:

• in olive oil, saute onion and garlic until softened.
• add mushrooms, cook until browning.
• add barley and cook for 5 minutes until lightly toasted.
• add white wine, add 3 c stock, tomato, salt& pepper.
• bring to boil, cover and simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• add peas and some additional broth if needed, simmer an additional 10-15 minutes stir in cheese, and more salt& pepper if needed.

VEGETARIAN BARLEY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add barley; cook and stir it is light brown and smells nutty, about 10 minutes.
• Stir 2 cups vegetable stock and bay leaf into the pot; bring to a boil. Simmer until most of the stock is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup stock and broccoli. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until most of the stock is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
• Stir remaining 1 cup stock, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, water, salt, and pepper into the pot. Simmer until stock is mostly absorbed and broccoli is soft, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

BARLEY, RISOTTO STYLE

Steps:

• Saute the onion and celery quickly in butter, about 3 minutes.
• Add wine; reduce wine over high heat. Season with pepper.
• Add cooked barley and chicken broth and bring to boil. Cook 10 minutes.
• Stir in cheese, butter and mushrooms.
• Serve with additional cheese.

SPINACH-BARLEY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat oil in 10-inch non-stick skillet over high heat. Cook mushrooms and onion in oil. Stir in broth, garlic pepper seasoning blend and mustard. Cover and heat to boiling. Stir in remaining ingredients except spinach; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring once. Stir in spinach; cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until water is absorbed and barley and wild rice are tender.