Bleeding Barley

OK, it's Halloween, so gross is rather in style. :-) This recipe isn't as disgusting as the title would indicate. The "blood" comes from beets, which are scary for lots of folks. I love beets - they are little sweet like carrots but more earthy. Some would argue that's a nice way of saying they taste like dirt. Try them like this before you dismiss them.

The best way to cook them is either roasted or in the microwave. Boiling them is an option too, but I like the microwave better. You don't need to peel them before cooking them. The peel is easier to remove after they are cooked. I suggest you use latex gloves when peeling and cutting up beets. They will turn your hands bright pink to blood red. Which would be fitting on Halloween, now that I think of it.

Not a true risotto - that's made with short-grain rice - barley risotto has a similar creamy texture and cooked in the same way. It's less expensive; pearl barley is inexpensive while arborio rice can be pricey. The stirring releases the starch, which is what gives risotto its creamy texture, not cream or butter. Though many recipes say you need to stir constantly, that's not really necessary. Stirring every few minutes is sufficient. Yes, it takes some work but not too much.

Bleeding Barley
(serves 4 as a light entree, 6 as a side dish)

3 medium beets, about 12 oz.
oil
6-7 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 Tablespoons butter
¼ cup minced onion (or 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion)
2 cups pearl barley
salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
cheese (optional)

Trim the off the leaves and cut the stem within 1" of the beets. Trim off the hairy tip of the root. Wash well. Using a large kitchen fork, poke each beet a few times. Rub them with oil. Place in a microwaveable dish with a couple of tablespoons of water and cover. Microwave on high 10 minutes. Give the a poke with a paring knife to see if they are tender. When they are cooked, the knife will go in easily. If not fully cooked, move them around in the dish, recover, and cook for another few minutes. Uncover and let cool for 5 minutes. Peel them with a paring knife and dice. Set aside.

Bring the stock to a simmer and keep it there. Heat the butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and stir. Cook until softened, 2 minutes. Add the barley, and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Add 1 cup of stock, and stir frequently until all the stock is absorbed. Maintain a simmer - reduce to medium-low if the stock sizzles when you add it. When the previous addition of stock is absorbed, add another cup of stock and continue stirring and cooking until the barley is tender, about 30-40 minutes. You need to try it to see if it's done at 30 minutes. It should be slightly chewy but not hard in the center. If it's not done, add more stock and keep going.

Add diced beets, last tablespoon of butter and black pepper, and mix to melt butter and incorporate the beets. The risotto will turn a lovely shade of pink. Taste for salt. If your stock is salted, you may not need any more. To serve, grate or crumble on cheese, if using. Creamy goat cheese is the traditional complement to beets, but you can use Parmesan, blue cheese, or an aged sheep cheese like Manchego instead.

Start of another year of classes!

On Wednesday, I'll be back in front of students at CU, teaching them basic cooking skills (and a few cooking tricks, too). They have requested risotto, which isn't what I consider *basic* cooking. But, it's not really hard either. We'll be cooking two recipes: Risotto with Chickpeas, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Greens which has already appeared on the blog and this recipe for Shrimp and Mushroom Risotto.

Risotto takes attention and lots of stirring. It's not particularly challenging aside from paying attention to what's on your stove for about 30 minutes. It's more expensive than white rice, but not so expensive. I found Italian risotto for $2.25/pound which isn't bad at all. Risotto is creamy and rich without being full of fat. The starch in this short-grain rice dissolves out of the rice grains with all that stirring, making a "creamy" mouth feel whether or not you add lots of butter or cream. A little bit of fat is added for flavor but you don't need it for richness. It's a bit of culinary magic!

Risotto is a great place to use up leftovers: add some vegetables or cooked meat at the end. Add a little cheese. Add some cooked beans. Mushrooms. Risotto is a neutral background that backs up all sorts of delicious lead singers. Experiment!

The shrimp in this recipe is cut into ½ inch pieces, so feel free to use whatever size of raw shrimp is cheapest at the market. There are folks who instantly dismiss any  Italian recipe that combines cheese and seafood. This is is a regional thing - depending on where you are, they will either revile or adore cheese combined with seafood. I'm not from anywhere in Italy, so I'm glad to be agnostic in this debate.

Shrimp and Mushroom Risotto
(makes 6 servings)

Risotto for Meatless Monday

Those are really chickpeas, black ones that I found at the Boulder Farmer's Market.

Risotto has a rather intimidating reputation. You must stir it, constantly! for 25 minutes or so. Or else! What, you'll end up with sticky rice? Which is really the point. Risotto is made with a short-grain rice called arborio which has lots of soluble starch. That's what makes it creamy (not cream or butter or cheese, though these things don't hurt). Fact is, you don't need to stir it constantly but you do have to stir it a fair bit to release the starch. It's also important to have enough hot stock to add in increments as the risotto cooks. Making risotto is a process - not a difficult one - but it will take you about 30 minutes. I think it's worth it, especially on Meatless Monday. The creaminess of the rice makes risotto so rich, even when no cream or cheese is added.

Risotto is adaptable to many additions: vegetables (some raw if quick cooking, others cooked), cooked meats, seafood, beans, mushrooms, and the ever popular cheese.

Arborio rice can seem a little pricey, but compared to meat, it's quite economical. You can find it now in many supermarkets, Whole Foods,  and gourmet shops. If you buy it in bulk, you will get the best price. Also check out Cost Plus World Marketplace, if they have stores in your area. They usually carry it and at the best price I've found.

In this recipe, I've used chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and some greens. No cheese, no cream. Just a little bit of olive oil and butter.

Risotto with Chickpeas, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Greens
(serves 6 as a side dish, 4 as an entree)

3 ½ to 4 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)
2 Tablespoons olive oil (can use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar)
1 bunch of scallions or 1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 ½ cups arborio rice
2 cups coarsely chopped greens such as spinach, escarole, or chard (about 2 oz.)
1 cup cooked chickpeas (canned are fine; rinse and drain them first)
½ cup coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil (about ½ a 8.5 oz. jar)
1 Tablespoon butter
leaves from 1 large sprig basil, chopped
1 large sprig rosemary, chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste, you may not need any if the stock is salty

Heat the stock in a medium saucepan and keep it at a simmer.

Heat the olive oil in a small stockpot or a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallions and garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the rice and stir in the oil until it is coated in the oil. At this point, you'll need to pay attention for about 20-25 minutes. Add ½ cup of the hot stock to the rice and stir it around. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir it every few minutes. When all the liquid is absorbed, add another ½ cup of stock and do it again. Keep doing this until the rice is just done, not mushy and not hard in the center. Just right!

Add the greens, chickpeas, tomatoes, butter, herbs, and black pepper. Taste it before adding any salt. Many stocks are very salty and you will not need to add any more.

If you must, you can stir in some Parmesan cheese or goat cheese. :-)