Recipe and Newsletter Archive

BARLEY RISOTTO WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Barley takes longer to cook than rice, but its texture is indestructible, so most of the cooking can be done ahead. It will retain its firm, chewy integrity even if it waits for hours.

There is a special ingredient in this dish – a bit of white truffle flour stirred in toward the end – which enhances the flavor in an alluring way. Most kitchens don’t carry this as a standard item, however, and I can suggest powdered dried porcini as a viable substitute. If you don’t have either one, don’t worry. Your risotto will still taste delicious.

1 ½ cups pearl barley
2 cups water
4 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp. sea salt, more to taste
2 onions, quartered and sliced thin
3 Tbs. olive oil
6 oz. shiitake mushrooms
8 oz. Portobello mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbs. Marsala
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. truffle flour, or powdered porcini
½ cup flat-leaf parsley, de-stemmed

garnish: walnut oil, hazelnut oil or truffle oil

Wash the barley in several changes of water and combine it in a heavy-bottomed pot with 2 cups water, 2 cups vegetable broth, and about half a teaspoon sea salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and allow the barley to simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the liquid is absorbed. Towards the end of the cooking time you should check it occasionally to make sure it is not sticking, and add a drop more water if needed. The barley should be tender but firm, and chewy.

While the barley cooks, combine the sliced onion in a non-stick skillet with a tablespoon of oil and a dash of salt and cook it on a medium-low flame, stirring often, until it is golden brown, soft and sweet.

Clean and very thinly slice all the mushrooms, cutting larger caps in half crosswise first. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a larger non-stick skillet, stir the garlic in it for a minute or two, then add the mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms, tossing and stirring often, until all excess liquid has evaporated and most of the mushrooms are nicely browned, about 25 minutes. Deglaze the mushrooms with the Marsala.

Add the caramelized onions, the cooked barley, another two cups vegetable broth, and the truffle flour to the mushrooms. Stir over low heat for a few minutes, until the liquid is partly absorbed. Stir in the parsley during the last moments. As with any risotto, this should have a creamy, saucy quality to it; it should not be stiff.

Serve the barley risotto in shallow bowls, and drizzle a thread of walnut oil on top of each serving.

Serves 6.