Pearl barley risotto with mushrooms and spinach
Pearl barley cooked like a risotto with white wine and stock until creamy but still pleasantly chewy, with fried mushrooms, spinach and a little parmesan. Mixed mushrooms or chanterelles work well, and so do spelt grains instead of the barley.
- 45 minTime
- 26 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- ≈ 30 krper portion
- 480kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- ≈ 1 lWater
- 2 cubesVegetable stock
- 1Yellow onion
- 2 clovesGarlic
- 2 tbspOlive oil
- 3 ½ dlPearl barley
- 1 dlWhite wine, dry
- 500 gMushroom, or mixed mushrooms
- 1 tspThyme
- to tasteSalt
- to tasteBlack pepper
- 130 gBaby spinach
- 60 gParmesan, finely grated
- 1 tbspButter
- ½Lemon, grated zest
Method
- Bring the water to the boil with the stock cubes in a saucepan and keep the stock hot over a low heat.
- Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Fry them gently in half the oil in a heavy-based saucepan until soft. Stir in the pearl barley and fry for a minute, until glossy.
- Pour in the wine and let it bubble away. Add half the stock and stir.
- Simmer the barley for 25–30 minutes, until tender but still with a little bite. Stir now and then, adding the rest of the stock a little at a time as it is absorbed.
- Slice the mushrooms and fry them in the rest of the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat until the liquid has cooked off and they are nicely browned, about 8 minutes. Season with thyme, salt and pepper.
- Fold the mushrooms and spinach into the barley and let the spinach wilt. Stir in the parmesan, butter and grated lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Leave to rest for a minute, then serve.
The cost is estimated from Swedish grocery prices.
