Barley Risotto With Swiss Chard Radishes And Preserved Lemon Food

BARLEY RISOTTO WITH SWISS CHARD, RADISHES, AND PRESERVED LEMON

Steps:

• Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add barley and stir to coat until toasted, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, stirring frequently, until broth is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes.
• Add radishes and remaining 3 cups broth, 1/2 cup at a time, letting each addition be absorbed before adding more, and simmer, stirring frequently, until barley is tender and creamy, about 30 minutes. Add chard and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon and season with salt. Remove from heat and stir in herbs. Serve warm or at room temperature.

RISOTTO WITH SAUSAGE AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• With the tip of a small, sharp knife, slit open the sausage casings. Crumble the meat into a wide, heavy skillet or Dutch oven, and set over medium heat. If the meat is not rendering enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan as it begins to cook, add olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the meat is frying gently, not steaming. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the sausage, and cook, breaking up any large chunks of sausage and stirring occasionally, until the meat is opaque and crisp at the edges, approximately 10 minutes. Remove sausage from pan, and reserve 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat.
• Pour the stock into a medium saucepan or pot, and bring to a low simmer.
• While the stock heats, return the heavy skillet or Dutch oven to medium-low heat, and add to it the 1 tablespoon reserved sausage fat and 1 tablespoon butter, or 2 tablespoons butter if you don't want to cook with the sausage fat. When the butter foams, add the diced onion, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it is soft and translucent, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add the rice, and stir until well coated, adding another tablespoon of fat if necessary. Stir until translucent, an additional 5 to 7 minutes.
• Raise the heat under the rice to medium, and add the wine to the skillet. Stir until wine is absorbed, then reduce the heat slightly. Begin adding ladlefuls of hot broth to the rice, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Cook rice until it is tender but slightly chewy, approximately 20 to 30 minutes. You may not need all the broth. You may need more than you have; if additional liquid is needed, you can use boiling water.
• Remove the skillet from heat, and add the cheese, stirring to mix it into the rice. Add the sausage to the rice, and stir again. Taste, and adjust seasonings with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Squeeze the lemon over the rice, and then mound the risotto on a large, warmed bowl. Scatter the parsley over the top, and serve immediately, with more grated Parmesan on the side.

BARLEY & BROCCOLI RISOTTO WITH LEMON & BASIL

Steps:

• Pour a litre of cold water over the barley, cover and leave to soak overnight.
• The next day, drain the barley, reserve the liquid and use it to make 500ml vegetable bouillon. Heat half the oil in a non-stick pan, add the leek and cook briefly to soften. Tip half into a bowl, then add the barley and bouillon to the pan, cover and simmer for 20 mins.
• Meanwhile, add the garlic, basil, remaining oil, the lemon juice and 3 tbsp water to the leeks in the bowl, and blitz to a paste with a stick blender
• When the barley has cooked for 20 mins, add the broccoli to the pan and cook for 5-10 mins more until both are tender. Stir in the basil purée, heat very briefly (to retain the fragrance), then spoon into bowls to serve.

RISOTTO WITH SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• In a medium pot, heat the stock until it simmers, and keep it hot.
• Heat the oil in a heavy nonstick pot, add the onion, and saute over medium-high heat until the onion softens.
• Stir in the rice, and mix well. Stir in the wine. Cook until the wine has almost evaporated.
• Add 1 cup of the hot stock to the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook the rice until most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring often.
• Add more stock, a cup at a time, until the rice is almost tender.
• Stir in the Swiss chard, fennel seeds and 1 more cup of the stock. Continue cooking and stirring until the chard is completely wilted and the rice is tender but firm. Stir in the cheese, and serve.