Cooking time: 1 hour 5 mins (20 mins prep – 45 mins cook)
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1½ cups pearl barley
3 garlic cloves, crushed
5 cups reduced-salt vegetable stock
2 bunches broccolini (tenderstem broccoli), roughly chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley or snipped fresh chives
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add barley and garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until barley is tender—about 35 to 40 minutes.
Add broccolini, cover, cook 3 minutes. Remove risotto from the heat. Stir in Parmesan, parsley (or chives), lemon zest, lemon juice and pepper.