Pearl Barley and Wild Mushroom Pilaf
Georgia Glynn Smith
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 11ounces pearl barley, washed and soaked in cold water for 1 hour
- 1ounce dried cep mushrooms (porcini), soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- 1-- onion, finely chopped
- 2-- garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with a little sea salt
- 1teaspoon thyme leaves
- 2-- bay leaves
- 1-- celery stick, finely chopped
- 1-- carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2cups vegetable stock
- 10ounces red wine
- 14ounces mixed wild mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half if too large
- 1teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2teaspoons Maggi seasoning (optional)
- 2-- handfuls of baby spinach leaves, washed
Instructions
Drain the pearl barley and set aside.
Carefully remove the soaked ceps without disturbing the soaking
liquid too much. Roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside. Strain the
mushroom soaking liquid through a coffee filter, muslin, or a very fine sieve
to remove any gritty particles, then set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat the oil in an ovenproof saucepan, and cook the onion over
medium heat for 8–10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, thyme, bay
leaves, celery, and carrot and cook for another 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the vegetable stock and red wine with the reserved
mushroom liquid until just below boiling point.
Add both the fresh and soaked mushrooms to the onion mixture and
cook over high heat for 3 minutes. Add the barley, black pepper, and
heated stock, stir to combine, then bring to a boil, cover, and place in the
preheated oven for 35 minutes. By this stage, all the liquid should have
been absorbed.
Take out of the oven, remove the lid and, over very low heat, stir in the
Maggi seasoning, if using, and the baby spinach. Stir until the spinach has
wilted. Check the seasoning, then serve piping hot.
Tip: I’m a great fan of Maggi liquid seasoning in soups and stews. It’s like a
vegetarian version of Worcestershire sauce, and adds that little je ne sais
quoi, but beware, it does contain MSG.
Recipe from The Essential Low Fat Cookbook by Antony Worrall Thompson (Kyle Books; 2012)
Nutritional Info *per serving
- Calories 414
- Fat 5.3
- Saturated Fat 1
- Fiber 2.8
- Sugars 4.9