Barley Risotto With Beans And Greens Food

PEARL BARLEY RISOTTO WITH SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In a casserole pot heat the butter or oil over medium heat. Saute the sliced leeks for 5 minutes until they have softened.
• Add the pearl barley to the pot and stir to combine. Pour in the white wine and cook for around 5 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and the alcohol has cooked out.
• Add the vegetable stock to the pot. Stir everything to combine and leave to simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pearl barley is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. If the mixture begins to dry out, add a little water. The final consistency should creamy and a little loose. If the mixture is too wet, cook for a few more minutes until more of the liquid has evaporated.
• Stir the asparagus, peas and spring greens into the risotto and cook for 3-4 minutes until the asparagus is just tender.
• Add the parmesan, lemon juice and chives. Stir to combine then taste. Add salt and pepper as required. Serve in bowls with grated parmesan and a sprinkle of chopped chives. Enjoy!

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.

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 & BROAD BEAN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion along with a pinch of salt and gently fry for 8-10 mins or until softened. Stir through the garlic and cook for 1 min. Tip in the pearl barley and 600ml of the stock. Bring to the boil, lower to a simmer and cook for 35 mins, stirring regularly, until nearly all the liquid has been absorbed and the pearl barley is tender. Add the remaining stock, a splash at a time, to loosen if it looks too thick.
• Roughly chop half of the podded broad beans (or pulse a few times in a food processor), keeping the rest whole. Stir all the broad beans into the risotto along with the lemon zest, mint, ricotta, basil and parmesan (with a splash more stock or water if it looks dry). Season, then serve in bowls with extra mint and parmesan scattered over.

BEET GREENS, GREEN GARLIC AND BARLEY GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin dish with olive oil. Blanch the beet greens for one minute in a large pot of generously salted boiling water, or steam over 1 inch of boiling water for two to five minutes until wilted and tender. Rinse with cold water, squeeze out water and chop medium-fine. Set aside.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the onion, and cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Continue to cook for another minute or two until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the cooked greens and the thyme, and toss together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
• In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir in the greens mixture, the barley or rice, and the cheeses. Mix together well. Scrape into the oiled baking dish.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes until sizzling and lightly browned on the top and sides. Remove from the heat, and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

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).

BAKED RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND PEAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, 2 minutes.
• Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in spinach and peas until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy. (Liquid will continue to absorb as risotto sits.) Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with more Parmesan.

RISOTTO WITH GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• To make the pesto, turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides with a spatula. Add the basil, pumpkin seeds or pine nuts, salt, pepper and olive oil. Process until smooth and creamy. Add the Parmesan, and pulse until well combined. You can also use a mortar and pestle: Add the basil leaves gradually, and mash with the pestle. Add the pumpkin seeds or pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper. Mash to a paste with the basil. Work in the olive oil and the Parmesan.
• To make the risotto, bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan, and add the green beans. Boil for five minutes, remove the green beans with a skimmer, and refresh with cold water. Turn down the heat under the stock, and keep at a simmer. Make sure that it is well seasoned.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet or a wide, heavy saucepan. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the rice. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes until the grains separate and begin to crackle.
• Add the wine. Cook, stirring, until there is no more visible in the pan. Stir in enough of the simmering stock to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add more stock. Continue to cook in this fashion - stirring often and adding more stock when the rice is almost dry - until the rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
• Add the green beans and another ladleful or two of stock to the rice. Stir in the pesto, taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, stir a couple of times, and serve. The risotto should be creamy.

RISOTTO WITH WINTER SQUASH AND COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread on the baking sheet in an even layer. Place in the oven, and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until tender and caramelized. Remove from the heat.
• While the squash is roasting, blanch the collard greens. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the collard greens. Blanch for four minutes and transfer to the ice water with a slotted spoon or skimmer. Drain and squeeze out extra water. Chop coarsely, or cut in ribbons.
• Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick frying pan or a wide saucepan, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about three minutes, and add the garlic and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender and the garlic fragrant, about one minute, and add the rice. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate.
• Stir in the wine, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The wine should bubble but not too quickly. When the wine has just about evaporated, add the collard greens, a third of the squash and the saffron. Stir in a ladleful or two of the simmering stock, enough to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful of the stock, and continue to cook in this fashion -- not too fast and not too slowly, adding more stock when the rice is almost dry -- until the rice is tender all the way through but still chewy, 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Add the remaining roasted squash and another 1/2 cup of stock to the rice. Stir in the Parmesan and parsley, and remove from the heat. Add freshly ground pepper, taste one last time and adjust salt. The mixture should be creamy (add more stock if it is not). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.