Pearl Barley Risotto

With Wild Mushrooms and Pecorino

Ingredients

250 g pearl barley, rinsed

2 cups vegetable stock

1 ltr water

80 g watercress

80 g spinach leaves

1 brown onion, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

50 g mixed mushrooms- king brown, dried porcini (soaked for 15 mins), pine mushrooms, thinly sliced

50 g butter

salt to taste

50 g grated Pecorino

For garnish

freshly chopped parsley

grated Parmesan cheese

Method
Place the barley in a large stockpot along with the water and vegetable stock.
Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes. Ensure that it is not overcooked; it should still have a bite.
Drain once done and reserve 1 cup of liquid.
Saute the onion and garlic.
Using a high speed blender, blend together the watercress and spinach leaves.
Add in 1 cup of vegetable stock to help with the blending process. Season with a pinch of salt.
In a pan, saute the mushrooms with butter and reserve half of the mushrooms for garnish.
Add the spinach and watercress mixture and cook for 2 minutes.
Add in the pearl barley and mix until fully coated.
Add the reserved liquid from the barley water.
Turn the heat off and mix the grated Pecorino.
Place the risotto into a pasta bowl.
Top with mushrooms, parsley and Parmesan just before serving.