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Although risotto is traditionally made with rice, I have started to swop the grain to barley as barley is high in beta-glucans so is excellent at balancing blood sugar levels as it improves insulin sensitivity. It is higher in fibre than risotto rice so will fill you up for longer. In addition it contains a fair amount of protein and Vit-B and magnesium. Magnesium is a good muscle relaxant and in studies barley has been shown to reduce blood pressure as well as LDL cholesterol.
Although risotto is traditionally made with rice, I have started to swop the grain to barley as barley is high in beta-glucans so is excellent at balancing blood sugar levels as it improves insulin sensitivity. It is higher in fibre than risotto rice so will fill you up for longer. In addition it contains a fair amount of protein and Vit-B and magnesium. Magnesium is a good muscle relaxant and in studies barley has been shown to reduce blood pressure as well as LDL cholesterol.
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Ingredients
- 200 g pearl barley
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 90 ml olive oil separated
- 2 cm small celery stalks cut into 1/4-inch / 0.5dice
- 2 cm small shallots cut into 1/4-inch / 0.5dice
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 strips lemon peel
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 700 ml vegetable stock
- 300 ml passata*** sieved crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp caraway seeds
- 300 g feta cheese broken into roughly 3/4-inch / 2 cm pieces
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves
- salt and black pepper to taste
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Rinse the pearl barley well under cold water and leave to drain.
- Melt the butter and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a very large frying pan and cook the celery, shallots, and garlic over gentle heat for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the barley, thyme, paprika, bay leaf, lemon peel, chile flakes, tomatoes, stock, passata, and salt. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure the risotto does not catch on the bottom of the pan. When ready, the barley should be tender and most of the liquid absorbed.
- Meanwhile, toast the caraway seeds in a dry pan for a couple of minutes. Then lightly crush them so that some whole seeds remain. Add them to the feta with the remaining 4 tablespoons /0 ml olive oil and gently mix to combine.
- Once the risotto is ready, check the seasoning and then divide it among four shallow bowls. Top each with the marinated feta, including the oil, and a sprinkling of oregano leaves.
