Best Barley Risotto With Beans And Greens Recipes

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 RISOTTO WITH LIMA BEANS, ASPARAGUS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat grill. Using side burner or top of grill. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add 1/2 leeks and fennel and cook until soft. Add the thyme and barley and cook for 1 minute. Place the broth and saffron in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Begin by adding 2 cups of the stock and stir until the barley has absorbed the stock. Add the remaining leeks and fennel and 4 cups of the broth. Cook until barley is tender and the mixture is creamy, stirring often, about 30 minutes, during the last 10 minutes add the asparagus. If the mixture appears dry, add the remaining 1 cup of stock. Add the lima beans and spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

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).

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.

RISOTTO WITH PEAS & BROAD BEANS

Steps:

• Heat oil and 25g of the butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 4-5 mins. Stir in the rice and cook for a further 2 mins. Turn up the heat and add the wine, let it bubble to evaporate the alcohol.
• Once the wine has reduced, begin adding the hot stock a ladle at a time over a medium heat, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next and stirring continuously. The rice should always be moist, but not swimming in liquid. The process of adding and stirring should take about 16-20 mins, depending on what kind of risotto rice you use.
• Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the peas and beans for 2-3 mins. Drain and set aside. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the remaining butter, Parmesan, peas and beans with some seasoning before serving.

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.