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Slow-cooked pearl barley risotto with blue cheese and squash
Serves 6 | prep 35 mins | total time
Slow-cooked pearl barley risotto with blue cheese and squash
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Serves 6 | prep 35 mins | total time
A brilliant veggie main, which can also be cooked quickly on the hob if you have last-minute dinner party guests
Rate
Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
629Kcal
Fat
35gr
Saturates
16gr
Carbs
52gr
Sugars
6gr
Fibre
3gr
Protein
20gr
Salt
2.3gr
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 50g butter, plus a little extra
- 3 large echalion shallots, finely chopped
- 3 celery sticks, finely diced
- 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 300g dried pearl barley
- 200ml white wine or Prosecco
- 1.2 litres hot vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- ½ medium butternut squash (about 500g), peeled and deseeded, cut into 1.5cm cubes
- 75g Italian-style vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated
- 2 tbsp double cream
- 150g vegetarian blue cheese, crumbled, to serve
For the hazelnut topping (optional)
- 25g blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 40g panko breadcrumbs (or leftover ciabatta crumbs)
- 1 sprig of rosemary, leaves only, chopped
- 25g Italian-style vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated
- zest of 1 lemon
Step by step
Get ahead
Cook the butternut squash the day before.
- Preheat the slow cooker to low. Heat half each of the oil and butter in a large deep frying pan, add the shallots and celery and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further minute. Increase the heat and add the pearl barley, stirring for 1 minute.
- Pour in the white wine, bubble for 2 minutes or until almost fully reduced. Transfer to the slow cooker, along with the hot stock, bay leaf and rosemary sprigs. Stir well; season. Cover with the lid and cook on the low setting for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, return the frying pan to a medium heat; add the remaining oil and butter. When hot, add the squash and increase the heat to high. Cook for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally until golden brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside.
- After 1 hour the pearl barley should be almost tender. Stir in the squash and cook for a further 45 minutes-1 hour on the low setting until the stock has been almost fully absorbed, the barley is tender with a little bite, and the squash is cooked through. Switch off the slow cooker. Stir in the grated hard cheese and cream, season well and leave to sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the topping: heat a large frying pan until hot, add the hazelnuts and cook over a low-medium heat until just toasted. Add the olive oil, breadcrumbs and rosemary and stir-fry over a low- medium heat until turning golden. Mix in the cheese and lemon zest; season and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until crisp and fragrant. Tip onto a plate to cool.
- When the risotto is ready, spoon into bowls. Top with the blue cheese and a sprinkling of the hazelnut topping.
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Tip No slow cooker? Simply cook the risotto in the deep frying pan. Cook for 15 mins in step 2, increasing the stock to 1.5 litres, then cook for a further 15 mins after adding the squash.