Wild Mushroom Barley Risotto Recipes

BARLEY RISOTTO WITH HAM AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the shallots and cook until just soft, about 2 minutes. Add the barley and fennel seeds (if using), 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until the barley is lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, rosemary and wine and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are soft and the wine is absorbed, about 3 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer; cover, reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the barley is tender and almost all of the liquid is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the ham, parmesan and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Per serving: Calories 498; Fat 16 g (Saturated 9 g); Cholesterol 62 mg; Sodium 565 mg; Carbohydrate 64 g; Fiber 13 g; Protein 18 g

WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place the dried morels in a bowl and pour 2 cups boiling water over them. Set aside for 30 minutes. Scoop the morels from the water with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid. You should have 2 cups; if not, add water to make 2 cups. Drain the morels and rinse once more. If some of the mushrooms are large, cut into 2 or 3 pieces. Pour the mushroom liquid through a coffee filter or paper towel, discarding the gritty solids. Set the mushrooms and the liquid aside separately.
• Meanwhile, remove and discard the stems of the porcini and rub any dirt off the caps with a damp paper towel. Dont rinse them! Slice thickly and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock with the 2 cups of reserved mushroom liquid and bring to a simmer.
• In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the morels and porcini and saute for another 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of the chicken stock mixture to the rice plus the saffron, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock mixture, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry before adding more of the stock mixture. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 25 to 30 minutes total. When done, the risotto should be thick and creamy and not at all dry. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot in bowls with extra cheese.

BARLEY RISOTTO WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Combine the dried cepes and water in a saucepan. Simmer gently over medium heat until reduced to 6 cups, about 20 minutes. Drain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth, pouring the broth into a small saucepan. Finely chop the mushrooms and set aside. Keep the broth warm over low heat.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottom saucepan. Add the fresh mushrooms. Saute over high heat until golden, but not soft, about 3 minutes. Take the mushrooms out of the pan and set aside. Add the shallots and garlic to the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the wine. Increase the heat to medium high and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Add the barley and stir. Ladle in 1/2 cup of the hot broth and stir until all the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding 1/2 cup of broth at a time, stirring until absorbed, until the barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Add both the dried cepes and fresh mushrooms and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Beat in the Parmesan. Divide among 4 bowls, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

BARLEY RISOTTO WITH MUSHROOMS AND DILL

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high. Add mushrooms; season with salt. Cook until browned in places, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate; reserve skillet for risotto (do not wipe skillet clean).
• In a saucepan, combine broth, 2 cups water, lemon zest, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile, heat reserved skillet over medium. Swirl in remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add leeks, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add barley and cook, stirring, until translucent and grains begin to make a popping sound, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in wine; cook until mostly evaporated, about 30 seconds.
• Ladle 1 cup broth mixture into skillet. Stir with a wooden spoon at a moderate speed until most of broth is absorbed and bottom of skillet stays visible for a second or two as you mix, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue ladling broth into skillet, about 1/2 cup at a time (or enough to just cover barley). Stir occasionally, allowing barley to absorb most of broth before adding more. Risotto is ready when barley is tender and creamy and broth has thickened to a rich sauce, 1 hour. (You may not need to use all of broth.)
• Remove from heat. Fold in mushroom mixture, butter, lemon juice, and cheese; season with salt and pepper. Top with dill and more cheese; drizzle with oil and sprinkle with more pepper to serve. If the risotto becomes stiff before serving, stir in more hot broth, a little at a time, until it's loose and creamy.

MUSHROOM BARLEY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring chicken stock to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
• Melt 2 teaspoons butter in large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add barley, thyme, bay leaf and 2 cups warm chicken stock; bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until most of stock is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add remaining stock 1/2 cup at a time, allowing stock to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until barley is tender, about 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in another large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Mix in parsley and barley mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon risotto into bowls and serve immediately.

MUSHROOM BARLEY RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Cover and turn off the heat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft. Reduce heat to low.
• Add barley and stir to coat with oil. Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine is absorbed.
• Add hot broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and adding more as broth absorbs. (This should take about 30 minutes. You may have broth left over, or you may need to add more to get barley to desired consistency.)
• Put remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and saute until mushrooms are golden and shallots are soft.
• Stir mushroom mixture and basil into barley, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.