Barley Risotto

[hyperpotato]

I've been buying this "quick" barley as a rice substitute. I typically make it like rice with beef broth. This stuff has risoto written all over it. I googled it, but I get a lot of conflicting recipes. Any one actually make this, and if so please tell me how?

 

[kitchenelf]

Risotto is nothing more than short-grained rice that gets creamy and starchy when cooked. Barley will not get creamy and starchy as it is a grain. You could very easily make it however you want. Add some sauteed, blanced, grilled, or roasted vegetables, seafood, lemon, parmesan cheese, whatever you want. Just know that it is not risotto and never will be. A perfectly acceptable dish CAN be made from it though!

 

[hyperpotato]

I don't know, you me be right based on all the conflicting stuff I've read. I consider my self an expert rice cooker, but I'm new to making risoto. It cooks exactly like rice, but it's twice the size, so it seems to me that you could make a really juicy risoto with it?

 

[GB]

Kitchenelf is exactly right. Risotto gets creamy because of the starch that comes out in the cooking process. That will not happen with barley. It can still be a delicious meal, but it will not be the same as risotto. There are plenty of recipes out there that will call their dish risotto, but like the saying that has been getting so much play lately goes, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig.

 

[hyperpotato]

Yeah, but I'm looking, not for the creamyness that risoto has, but where the rice grains absorb alot of liquid. I would like to the same with barley.

Sorry. I have not been clear, good discussion though. I would like to make barley risto style. There are 1 million recipes on google and they all contradict one another. I guess what I'm getting out is I would like a recipe to cook barley, analogous to risoto?

Thanks

 

[kitchenelf]

All you have to do is pick a recipe and use your barley instead. Just don't make liquid additions as you do with risotto. Follow the barley instructions for cooking using chicken broth or beef broth or vegetable broth. Once all your other ingredients are cooked add them to your barley and that should do it. If you find a specific recipe on the Internet link it here, we'll take a look at it, and give you any help we can in converting it to a barley dish.

 

[Dave Hutchins]

I use barley quite often when I start cooking I take a small portion of it and grind it in my spice mill and add it just before it is done and it makes a creamy like sauce to go with the whole grans of barley. When I make beef & barley soup this how I thicken my soup.. With ground quick cooking barley works like a charm.

 

[kitchenelf]

I use barley quite often when I start cooking I take a small portion of it and grind it in my spice mill and add it just before it is done and it makes a creamy like sauce to go with the whole grans of barley. When I make beef & barley soup this how I thicken my soup.. With ground quick cooking barley works like a charm.

See, that's what I love about this place!!!!!!!!! Thanks Dave - valuable information for our new member - and long-time members too! (notice I didn't say "old members" - you know how touchy those people are about their ages )

 

[Bilby]

Pear barley risotto with thyme roasted carrot and beetroot

Saw this on tv last week; haven't tried it but it looked good on tv. He did say that barley risotto requires more stock than rice risotto.

 

[jennyema]

Yeah, but I'm looking, not for the creamyness that risoto has, but where the rice grains absorb alot of liquid. I would like to the same with barley.

Sorry. I have not been clear, good discussion though. I would like to make barley risto style. There are 1 million recipes on google and they all contradict one another. I guess what I'm getting out is I would like a recipe to cook barley, analogous to risoto?

Thanks

I make farrotto all the time with farro. So yes you can do it with barley.

It's simple and no recipe is needed.

Sweat some diced leeks or onions and celery. Add the barley and coat with oil, brown a bit. Add a glass or white wine, cook down. Add broth ladleful by ladleful, letting it cook down. Stir frequently.

Do this until you get the desired texture to the barley, both in terms of tooth and moisture. Add butter or cheese at the end to make it richer, if you want.