Having some leftover pearl barley from two recent Ottelenghi recipes, I wanted to use up the remainder before an upcoming move. It seems like the most popular approach these days, per the internet, is pearl barley risotto, but unfortunately the recipes I found all were a bit more complicated than what I wanted to invest in – particularly with a move coming up.
I ultimately decided to improve a recipe, and I could not have been happier with the result. The risotto had a bright herb flavor, and the consistency was substantive and creamy. I also really liked the pearl barley as the main ingredient as it resulted in a vegetarian risotto that felt like a true main course, instead of the arborio rice versions which always strike me as side dishes.
Needless to say, this will be a recipe repeat. Current recipe below – I will post any updates or modifications as I make them!
Pearl Barley Risotto
Ingredients
- 1.5 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup frozen green peas, defrosted
- 1/3 cup parsley, minced
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- parmesan shavings (optional), salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- In a medium pot, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and celery and saute for 5 – 6 minutes or until soft.
- Add garlic and stir for another 30 seconds. Stir in the pearl barley and saute fairly continuously for 3 – 4 minutes to toast.
- Add the vegetable broth, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until liquid is almost completely absorbed by the barley. When that happens, add the remaining one cup of water and cook until partly absorbed.
- Stir in the peas, parsley, and lemon juice and cook until liquid is almost completely absorbed and barley dish appears creamy.
- Add parmesan, salt and pepper to taste and serve while warm.
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