Pearl Barley Risotto with Broccoli
The lighter take on risotto: pearl barley brings fiber and a chewy bite that rice does not have, with broccoli barely cooked through. Creamy with less fat.
The barley takes about 30 minutes, far longer than risotto rice, so the broccoli goes in near the end — added at the start it would be grey mush by the time the grain is ready.
The squeeze of lemon at the finish is not decoration: barley and cheese together are heavy, and the acid is what keeps the dish from sitting.
Ingredients
- 200 g pearl barley
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets
- 100 g low-sodium grated cheese
- 2 tbsp low-fat soft cheese
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive or canola oil
- 125 ml white wine (1/2 cup)
- Hot vegetable stock, as needed
- Lemon juice, to taste
Method
- 1
In a preheated pot with the oil, cook the leek until soft and translucent.
- 2
Add the raw pearl barley. Stir it well with the leek and toast it for 3 minutes so the grain turns pearly.
- 3
Add the white wine along with the chopped garlic. Once the alcohol has evaporated, start adding the hot stock a ladleful at a time.
- 4
Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, keeping the grain hydrated with the stock. Only then add the raw broccoli florets.
- 5
Keep adding stock and stirring for 5 minutes more, until the grain is tender and the liquid has almost completely evaporated.
- 6
Finish by stirring in the soft cheese, the grated cheese and a few drops of lemon juice for freshness. Serve hot.
Broccoli and Cauliflower
Two versatile, forgiving vegetables that earn a fixed place in the weekly menu. In many dishes you can swap one for the other without changing anything else.
