Barley, Mushroom & Spinach Risotto

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5 from 1 vote

Barley, Mushroom & Spinach Risotto

deeply savoury and satisfying

Prep Time5

Cook Time45

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Freezes Well, Nut Free, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 348kcal

Author: Thrifty Lesley

Cost: 75p

Equipment

Ingredients

190 g pearl barley
80 g spinach frozen
250 g mushrooms
100 g onion
50 g butter
2 cloves garlic
a few fresh thyme leaves £1.25 plant
30 ml white wine vinegar
1 Knorr beef stock pot
40 g parmesan
1000 ml total amount of boiling, or very hot, water

Topping

a few fresh thyme leaves to sprinkle, optional
20 g parmesan optional

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Boil the kettle
Grate the parmesan for the risotto and make the shavings for the topping
40 g parmesan
Peel and chop the onion
100 g onion
Peel and chop the garlic finely
2 cloves garlic
Using half the butter, saute the onion and garlic until transparent
Add mushrooms, spinach, thyme leaves, the stock pot, pearl barley and the white wine vinegar.
190 g pearl barley, 80 g spinach, 250 g mushrooms, 1 Knorr beef stock pot, a few fresh thyme leaves, 30 ml white wine vinegar
Now add half the boiling water and simmer gently, with the lid on, until that is also absorbed
1000 ml total amount of boiling, or very hot, water
Add the other half of the boiling water and simmer gently until the water is absorbed and the barley is soft and tender.
If it is not done yet, add another 250ml hot water and continue simmering.
Stir in the parmesan and the remaining butter. Stir until evenly distributed
50 g butter
Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if required
When ready to serve, sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and a few fresh thyme leaves
a few fresh thyme leaves, 20 g parmesan

Notes

The stock is super important in this dish, as it is in a risotto made with rice, as the barley or rice absorbs the stock as it cooks, adding a lot of flavour to the cooked grains. Pearl barley is often used in British soups and stews to give a lovely creamy texture to the broth and it is this characteristic of the grain that makes it work so well in a risotto. You must use stock in a risotto, it will be watery and disappointing if you just use water to cook the grains.

The pearl barley is wonderfully chewy and nutty. Barley has an exceptionally low GI, which makes it very sustaining, keeping you going for hours, and in this comparison, barley is superior to rice which has a very high GI. It’s so filling, you only need a small amount.

What changes can I make?

Use a different stock pot for a completely different flavour. They come in chicken or vegetable as well as beef.
Or use a home made stock, always delicious. Chicken is my favourite – it supplies so much flavour.
If you don’t want to use parmesan, it isn’t vegetarian, you can use another full flavoured cheese, a good strong mature cheddar for example.
Omit the spinach, or use shredded cabbage
Add some roasted carrot chunks, or any other roasted vegetables
Omit the parmesan / cheddar and sprinkle over feta generously

Nutrition