Friday, 28 January 2011

Friday Fungus: Mushroom Barley

I’ve made risotto for years – it’s easy and makes a great supper dish – and have often wondered about how it might work with other grains. So I was delighted to come across this recipe for “mushroom barley” on the Weelicious site – essentially it’s a risotto, or should that be a ‘barlotto’?

I found the recipe a little faffy – too much taking stuff in and out of pots for my liking – but there’s no doubt that the resulting dish tasted fantastic! The rich mushroom and chicken stock soaked into the barley and produced a delightful, deep flavour. It takes longer than risotto – 45 minutes – for the pearl barley to absorb the stock and the grains remain al dente.

Next time, I plan to use a more traditional risotto approach – sealing the grains in hot oil and adding the stock one ladleful at a time. And rather than adding a glass of white wine, I’m thinking about putting in a small glass of Marsala – think that would really set well with the rich stock and mushroom flavours.

An excellent dish nevertheless – ideal for a different winter supper.

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