Barley risotto: A light, comforting supper without the fuss
Kaszotto— a Polish risotto made with pearl barley—is “much simpler to prepare than the classic Italian version with rice,” says Michal Korkosz in Fresh From Poland: New Vegetarian Cooking From the Old Country (The Experiment). “You do not need to stir the pot constantly like an Italian grandma.” You can even make the barley in advance, then throw together this “comforting, light dish” in about 10 minutes. It’s great with a chilled dry cider.
Though any vegetable broth will do here, Polish vegetable soups “taste unlike soups from anywhere else,” so I’ve included the instructions for my go-to broth.
Recipe of the week
Barley risotto with asparagus, cider, and goat cheese
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup pearl barley
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 bunch (1 lb) asparagus, trimmed, cut in
1-inch pieces
1 cup dry (hard) apple cider, more if needed ½ tsp grated lemon zest
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more
for serving
2 tbsp soft goat cheese, plus more for serving Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Boil broth in a large saucepan. Stir in barley; cook, covered, over low heat until liquid has been mostly absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat; let sit in the covered saucepan. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until nearly soft, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and asparagus; cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Remove asparagus tips and set aside. (You will use them for serving.) Stir the cooked barley into pan. Add cider; bring to a simmer and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until barley absorbs most of the liquid, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in lemon zest, Parmesan, and goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add more cider for a looser consistency.
Divide kaszotto among individual plates and garnish with asparagus tips. Top with more Parmesan and goat cheese. Serves 4.
Vegetable broth
3 tbsp unsalted butter • 3 bay leaves • 3 whole cloves • 1 tsp black peppercorns • ½ tsp allspice berries • 1 medium onion, unpeeled and halved through the root • 2 whole garlic cloves, peeled • 2 medium carrots, halved • 3 medium parsley roots or parsnips, halved • 1 celery stalk, halved • 1½ tsp fine sea salt
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until it starts to turn dark amber, about 5 minutes. Add spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion, cut side down, to spiced butter. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 3 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until broth is reduced by half, 1 to 1½ hours. Allow to cool slightly, then strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve. Makes 1½ quarts.