Add to: Recipe Box | Grocery List | Meal PlannerRecipe submitted by Carol, 02/11/05
Easy Barley RisottoIngredients (use vegan versions): 35-50g pearl barley per person (big eaters use 50g)
600ml vegetable stock (or concentrate and water)
bay leaf
small pumpkin or medium butternut or 2-3 sweet potatoes or something that mashes well
knob margarine or 1 tablespoon oil for mashing (e.g. pumpkin seed oil)
variations:
add a chopped carrot to the stock
add cooked spinach or baby leaf spinach just before stirring in the mashed vegetable
add sautéed mushrooms
add garlic
add whatever you have in the fridge or store cupboard
throw in some seeds e.g. pumpkin, sunflower, pine nuts etc
Directions:Wash the barley and put into a large non-stick pan with the bay leaf and the stock. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for approx 35-40 mins, stirring occasionally, until the barley is swollen and the stock is absorbed. While the barley is cooking, peel your vegetable of choice, and cut into small cubes. Steam (or boil) until quite tender, then mash or puree with the vegan margarine/oil. Remove the bay leaf and stir the mashed vegetable into the barley. If adding mushrooms put them in now and you will get a delicious mixture of flavours. Eat while hot (but it tastes great cold the next day.)
This is a really cheap and filling dish and can be adapted endlessly. It takes no time to get on the go, and you can happily leave it to cook, unlike all the stirring in a normal rice risotto. It can also be quite nutritious, barley is a good alternative to too much wheat, and if you use pumpkin seed oil, you're looking after your essential fatty acid intake too.
Serves: 2-3
Preparation time: 45 mins cooking
Tried this last night and loved it. Militant- meat-eating teenage sons were at first very very reluctant to even try it, but ended up enjoying it too! I used a can of tomatoes and half the suggested stock to cook the barley in. Stirred cheese through it for the carnivores in the family, and served it warm with a green salad. Very nice.
Archived comment by: lillyby
