Mushroom + Caramelised Onion Barley Risotto and a Wild Rice Salad

This. was. delicious. Relatively time consuming but worth it. The caramelised onion is the perfect accompaniment to this balsamic barley risotto - don't leave it out! I stirred through some roast pumpkin at the end. LOVE creamy risotto.

Mushroom and caramelised onion barley risotto

adapted from this Oh She Glows recipe which was adapted from The Kitchn

Serves 2 (as main course), or 4 side servings

Ingredients:
2 yellow onions
1 tbsp + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
~300g button mushrooms, washed/peeled and sliced (next time I would try a different kind of mushroom for variety)
1 large sprig fresh rosemary (I just used a few shakes of dried rosemary)
1 C uncooked pearl barley
1 tbspn balsamic vinegar
3.5 C stock/broth (I used chicken)
1 tsp salt + more for onions
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to garnish
 Directions:
1. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

2. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add all the sliced mushrooms to the skillet and let them cook for 5-10 minutes.

3. Add the rosemary sprig and seasonings to the skillet. Stir well. Cook for a couple minutes.

4. Now add in the barley, balsamic vinegar, and a ladle of stock (~1/3 C). Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and stir every few minutes, reducing the heat when necessary to prevent it sticking to the bottom. Add ladles of stock as it is absorbed. This process may take about 45 minutes but taste the barley periodically after 30 minutes to ensure desired firmness is achieved.

5. Meanwhile, make the caramelized onions. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium pot. Cut onions in half, and then slice them into thin half moons. Add them to the oil and sprinkle liberally with salt. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally for about 30 mins. Watch closely. Increase heat to medium and cook for a further 10-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions turn a dark brown colour.

6. When the risotto has finished cooking remove rosemary sprig and stir in roast pumpkin/steamed broccoli/parmesan cheese/butter as desired. Distribute into bowl and top each bowl with a spoonful of caramelized onions and freshly ground pepper.

NOTE: I froze this and to be honest really wasn't the same when defrosted and reheated. I'd stick to eating this fresh.

 

 Wild rice salad

wild rice

roast pumpkin

steamed broccoli

canned corn

dressing = whisk together 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice + 1 tbsp tahini + ~1tsp minced garlic + water to thin as desired