Mushroom, Butternut and Sage Pearl Barley Risotto

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OcadoLife

4 serving

3.7 3 ratings Review this recipe

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 1 hr 20 mins

Serves: 4

This risotto is made with pearl barley as opposed to rice, which gives it a more robust texture and some extra bite. Packed with squash, mushroom and sage, this is a hearty meal with lots of classic autumnal flavours. Mushrooms are one of the few dietary sources of vitamin D, which most adults are lacking in the winter months.

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil
½ butternut squash (approx. 600g), diced into 2cm pieces
300g chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 large onion, diced
1.1 litres vegetable stock
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
12 sage leaves, finely chopped, plus baby leaves to serve
300g pearl barley, rinsed
60g parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve
1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Method

Step 1

Heat 2tbsp olive oil in a large casserole dish. Add the butternut squash and cook for 10 mins on a high heat, stirring occasionally. You want some of the sides to become golden brown. Then use a slotted spoon to remove to a clean bowl and set aside.

Step 2

Put 1tbsp oil in the casserole dish and cook the mushrooms in two batches, until golden brown. Try not to stir too often, so they get a better colour – this should take 6-8 mins. Remove from the dish and put to one side.

Step 3

Add the remaining oil to the dish, along with the onion. Cook for 8-12 mins until golden brown. While the onion cooks, heat the vegetable stock in a separate pan.

Step 4

Add the garlic, chopped sage and pearl barley to the casserole dish. Stir well to coat. Add the hot stock to the dish and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 mins then reduce to a simmer. Return the butternut squash to the dish and with the lid covering around 80 per cent of the top, cook for a further 40 mins. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing catches on the bottom of the dish.

Step 5

Test the pearl barley at this point. It should be tender but still have a little bite. If so, remove from the heat and add the parmesan; if not, cook for another 5-10 mins. If the risotto looks like it’s drying out too much during cooking, add a splash of water.