Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Hazelnuts

Name: Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Hazelnuts
Prep time: 5 h
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, European
Ingredients: 680 grams asparagus, trimmed; 0 teaspoons black pepper; 118 milliliters dry white wine; 1 garlic clove; 118 milliliters hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped; 1 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest; 3 Tbsps olive oil; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 118 milliliters ounce finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about plus additional for serving; 296 milliliters pearl barley; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 liters water

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Hazelnuts a try. This recipe serves 4. One portion of this dish contains roughly 17g of protein, 24g of fat, and a total of 527 calories. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 5 hours. If you have garlic clove, pepper, water, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. To use up the salt you could follow this main course with the Apple Turnovers Recipe as a dessert. This recipe is typical of Mediterranean cuisine.

Instructions

Cut top third of each asparagus stalk diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices, reserving tips and slices together, then coarsely chop remainder. Bring water (5 1/2 cups) and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, then add chopped asparagus and cook, uncovered, until very tender, 6 to 7 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Asparagus

Water

Salt

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Transfer with a slotted spoon to a food processor (not a blender, which would require adding liquid).

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Slotted Spoon

Blender

Add reserved asparagus tips and slices to boiling water and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Asparagus

Water

Transfer with slotted spoon to a sieve, reserving cooking liquid in pan, and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Equipment you will use

Slotted Spoon

Sieve

Frying Pan

Drain well and reserve in another bowl.

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Measure cooking liquid and, if necessary, add enough water to bring total to 4 cups, then reserve.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Cook onion with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt in oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Pepper

Onion

Salt

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add barley and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Ingredients you will need

Barley

Add wine and boil, stirring, until liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute.

Ingredients you will need

Wine

Add 4 cups reserved asparagus-cooking liquid and bring to a boil, covered, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender (it should be chewy) and mixture is thickened to a stewlike consistency, 35 to 40 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Asparagus

Barley

Meanwhile, mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt using side of a large heavy knife, then add to asparagus in food processor along with zest and purée until smooth.

Ingredients you will need

Asparagus

Garlic

Ground Meat

Salt

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Knife

When barley is cooked, stir in asparagus purée, asparagus-tip mixture, and enough additional water to thin to desired consistency and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until hot, about 1 minute. Stir in cheese, then season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Asparagus

Barley

Cheese

Water

Serve with hazelnuts and additional cheese on the side.

Ingredients you will need

Hazelnuts

Cheese

Cooks' Notes

·Barley can be cooked in about half the time in a 6- to 8-quart pressure cooker. Follow recipe, cooking onion in pressure cooker, uncovered, then adding barley and wine as directed above. After adding asparagus-cooking liquid, seal pressure cooker with lid and cook at high pressure, according to manufacturer's instructions, 18 minutes. Put pressure cooker in sink (do not remove lid) and run cold water over lid until pressure goes down completely.

Ingredients you will need

Asparagus

Barley

Onion

Water

Wine

Equipment you will use

Pressure Cooker

Remove lid and continue with recipe, using pressure cooker (without lid) as a pot.·Asparagus can be cut and cooked, chopped stalks puréed, and cooking water reserved 1 day ahead, then chilled in separate airtight containers.

Ingredients you will need

Asparagus

Water

Equipment you will use

Pressure Cooker