Lately I’ve been trying to incorporate some new foods into my diet, mainly in place of other items that have less nutritional value. First up was quinoa, which looks a lot like a grain and is cooked similarly but is actually the seed of a plant that is related to leafy green veggies like spinach. I’d seen a ton of recipes floating around the web incorporating quinoa that I couldn’t wait to try, but first I cooked it simply in a saucepan on my stove-top. Unfortunately, when I took my first bite, I hated it (sorry to be brutally honest). I can’t even put my finger on what bothered me (I rinsed my quinoa, but it definitely still tasted bitter to me though that doesn’t entirely describe the problem), but I knew this wasn’t a food I could grow to like, no matter how I prepared it. Nutrition is nice, but if something doesn’t taste good, I’m not going to eat it.
Undeterred, I moved on to pearl barley. I really enjoy risotto and I’d seen quite a few recipes substituting barley for the arborio rice so I figured why not give it a shot? Pearl barley isn’t a whole grain, but it’s still healthier than white rice (there’s a nice discussion on barley and where it falls on the grain spectrum here). This recipe comes from Martha Stewart’s new book, Fresh Flavor Fast, and the original version included corn and basil. It’s asparagus season though and I’ve been on an asparagus kick so I swapped the corn for some asparagus that I roasted with a bit of olive oil. Like most risotto recipes, this one was a bit time-consuming but simple enough as long as you stirred occasionally. The verdict? The risotto was creamy and definitely warmed me up on a chilly afternoon. As for the barley, it was tender yet chewy with a slightly nutty flavor. Did I love it? Not exactly – I still prefer arborio rice, but I can definitely see myself using it in place of the arborio from time to time in risotto dishes. I’d like to try some other applications as well so if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know!
Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Basil
from Fresh Flavor Fast by Martha Stewart Living Magazine
2 cans (14.5 oz each) low-sodium vegetable (or chicken) broth
4 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup pearl barley
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 lb roasted asparagus
2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
1/2 cup grated (about 2 oz) parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
In a medium saucepan, bring broth and 4 cups water just to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the barley; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Pour in the wine and stir until it is absorbed, about 1 minute.
Ladle in 2 cups of the warm broth mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until almost completely absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Continue adding broth mixture 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently and allowing liquid to be almost absorbed before adding more, until barley is tender and mixture is creamy, 40 to 50 minutes (you may not have to use all the broth). Add the asparagus; cook just briefly to reheat if necessary.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the basil and parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with extra cheese if desired.
Such a healthy dish! Would love to try it!
What a beautiful risotto! Looks delicious!
I know how you feel…I don’t love that overly grainly taste of some of the ultra healthy grains…but with enough parmesean cheese, any grain is sure to taste better! 🙂
Makes me wish I liked asparagus!!
i’ve been wanting to try risotta with unique grains. this sounds, and look, delicious!
This looks amazing! I hated quinoa the first time I tried it, too (and I also rinsed it). The second time I rinsed it a LOT, and toasted it in a dry skillet for 5 minutes. What a difference! If you can stand to try it again, that’s the way to go.
I love asparagus… This sounds great! My first taste of quinoa didn’t impress me either. I haven’t tried it again since, but I’ve been thinking about it after seeing so many recipes with it lately. Perhaps I’ll just make this instead!
I love barley and this is such a great idea. I’ve used barley with spinach (cooked the barley in the rice cooker, made a quick sauce with spinach, garlic, EVOO, and some spices on the stove, and then mix together). I’ve also used barley in place of rice in a Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup. Works great!
All of this looks and sounds great to me…I love all the grains, but that said, I love them all cooked certain ways! Sometimes it takes a bit of experimenting to get it how you like it.
I love asparagus and this looks like a nice, healthy way to eat it. I’ve never actually cooked anything with barley, so unfortunately I don’t have any suggestions for you. I recently tried a farro salad at a deli and thought that was a tasty grain.