Swap rice for pearl barley to create a delicious and filling dinner.
“Leeks and mushrooms are a robust flavour combination that you can always count on: nothing can go wrong when you’re combining these two,” says Miguel Barclay, author of the One Pound Meals cookbook series.
“It’s guaranteed to be delicious. To make this vegetarian or vegan, omit the Parmesan cheese. If you like, you can replace it with a sprinkling of nutritional yeast.”
Miguel Barclay’s leek and mushroom barley risotto
Makes 1 portion
Ingredients
- ½ onion, diced
- Handful of pearl barley
- ½ vegetable stock cube
- 300ml water
- ½ leek, sliced
- Handful of mushrooms, sliced
- 1 thyme sprig
- Small handful of grated Parmesan cheese, plus a few shavings for garnish
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Pan-fry the onion in a splash of
olive oil over a medium heat for about 10 minutes until soft, then add the barley and cook for a further minute. - Crumble in the half stock cube and pour over the water. Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the barley is cooked but still retains a slight bite, adding more water if needed.
- Meanwhile, pan-fry the leek and mushrooms in a splash of olive oil over a medium heat for about 12 minutes until soft, adding the thyme halfway through.
- Stir some grated Parmesan into the barley risotto, then add the leek and mushrooms. Season to taste and serve with a few shavings of Parmesan to garnish.
Green One Pound Meals by Miguel Barclay is published by Headline Home, priced £16.99. Photography by Dan Jones. Available now.
