Wednesday 15 October 2014

Eat: Peal Barley and Chorizo Risotto


This is an easy, delicious and fairly budget friendly midweek supper. Delicious enough to serve up to friends and comforting enough to curl up with on the sofa in front of your favourite box set. The recipe uses pearl barley instead of your usual risotto rice and it gives the risotto a little bit more bite and a nuttier flavour too. Even better, at less than 60p a bag {from Morrisons at least!} it brings the cost of making a midweek risotto right down into my budget suppers corner. If that wasn't enough to make you give it a try, Pearl Barley is full of the good stuff. It contains plenty of fibre, potassium and other vitamins and it's low GI keeping you fuller for longer.  Give it a try and you won't miss your usual risotto rice, I promise! Winner winner {risotto} dinner.


I used chorizo and spinach in this though personally, I think it would work just as well without the chorizo. For the recipe you're going to need:

pearl barley - a cup or so for each person
chorizo - half a chorizo 'loop' is more than enough for 2
spinach -the more the merrier
garlic - I use the lazy kind but otherwise, a couple of chopped cloves will do
a tin of chopped tomatoes
1 or 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock

Dice up your chorizo and then fry off in it's own oil. Make sure you keep an eye on this so it doesn't catch! Take it off the heat and pop to on side to add later. Add your garlic and pearl barley to the oil from the chorizo just as you would risotto rice and stir until well coated. Add your tomatoes and stock and give it a good stir. Then, bring the whole thing to the boil then turn down, pop a lid on and leave to simmer. This is where it is much easier than risotto: It'll take the same time to cook but you'll only need to check in occassionally to give it the odd stir. Another big tick for pearl barley - who wants to be chained to the stove midweek?

After about 30 minutes your pearl barley will still have a bit of chew to it but it will have softened up significantly. At this point stir in your spinach until it wilts and add your chorizo. Plate up into two or more big hearty bowls and settle in for a cozy night in front of the fire. Cozy, comforting, healthy food!

Bx

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