PEARL BARLEY BLUE RISOTTO

Please forgive the slightly misleading nomenclature, but I can’t resist a little alliteration. The blue refers to the cheese, as opposed to the colour of the dish. I love pearl barley in a risotto – all the comfort of the original rice dish, but you don’t have to stir it quite so often!

Serves 4 

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 fat cloves of garlic (or 3 smaller ones)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200g pearl barley
• Good pinch of salt and grinding of black pepper
• 2 x dried bay leaves
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 200ml white wine
• 400g frozen broad beans
• 150g creamy blue cheese (I like Castello blue, but it is a matter of personal taste)
• Leaves to garnish (rocket is a good one, or watercress…)

How to: 

1. Put the oil and finely chopped onion in to a large, high-sided saucepan. Turn the heat on low and soften the onions. This could take around 10 minutes. Crush in the garlic and stir gently.
2. Meanwhile, rinse the pearl barley thoroughly in cold water, then tip it into the pan and stir through the onion and garlic.
3. Add the bay leaves, salt and pepper then pour in the wine. Turn the heat up slightly and allow to bubble. Then add the stock. 
4. Reduce to simmer for 45 minutes. You will need to stir it occasionally and check the liquid, adding a little hot water if it looks like it is all being absorbed. 
5. After 35 minutes, tumble in the frozen broad beans and stir them through.
6. At 45 minutes, stir through 100g of the blue cheese. Let it snuggle up to the pearl barley and melt, then mix until creamy. 
7. Carefully taste a little bit. It should be fairly soft but not mushy.
8. Spoon out on to serving plates or bowls, dress with some green leaves and crumble over the remaining blue cheese. Enjoy!

words and photo ALISON POWELL