Month: May 2014

Peanut Butter & Strawberry Blondies

Peanut Butter & Strawberry Blondies

Greetings! Feeling a little fuzzy today coming back to reality after an idyllic, sunshiny long weekend… bliss! To ease the transition, I’ve prepared you a little treat, Peanut Butter and Strawberry blondies! But Before we get into these bite sized beauties, how was YOUR weekend? Did 

Broccoli & Tofu Teriyaki Bowl

Broccoli & Tofu Teriyaki Bowl

One of the things I have loved most about blogging, is the community you become a part of. This is a community made up of food enthusiasts who pour themselves into their craft, simply for the love of it. There are THOUSANDS of great blogs, and 

Spring Vegetable Barley Risotto

Spring Vegetable Barley Risotto

Spring Vegetable Barley Risotto- Emmas Little KitchenThere are few advantages to having my husband live in a different state for the next three months. In fact, I can think of only one: I get to eat Risotto. All. The. Time. That’s right, my darling husband is just not that into Risotto. I took me a while to come to terms with this, but we’re cool now.  I make this Spring Vegetable Risotto, or variations on it, often. And I know if I eat it once, then I will be eating it every week for a while, it is just lovely.

Spring Vegetable Barley Risotto- Emmas Little Kitchen

Feel free to use this recipe as a template, the vegetables are totally interchangeable. However I really dig this Spring-y combination of asparagus, peas and broad beans. When I make Risotto with barley I like to add some creaminess back into the dish. In this recipe I do that with with Mascapone, and of course I top it off with freshly grated parmesan. If you want to make this dish vegan, or less rich, simply omit the two cheeses.

Spring Vegetable Barley Risotto- Emmas Little Kitchen

One last note on the vegetable stock- I strongly recommend using a low sodium version. As the flavours cook down and become more concentrated, a normal stock could result in a too salty dish. No good!

Spring Vegetable Barley Risotto- Emmas Little Kitchen

Spring Vegetable Barley Risotto
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Barley risotto of spring vegetables
Author:
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 cup/200g pearl barley
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 7 cups (1750ml) low sodium vegetable stock
  • ½ bunch/200g of asparagus chopped into 2 inch pieces
  • 1⅓ cup/180g of frozen peas (defrosted)
  • 1⅓ cup/200g of broad beans (shelled)
  • 3 tbsp mascarpone
  • ½ cup/50g freshly grated parmesan (plus more to sprinkle on top)
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • Handful of chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Method
  1. Pour prepared vegetable stock into a small saucepan, and bring to a low simmer.
  2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat
  3. Add onions, and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened
  4. Add garlic, and cook for a minute longer
  5. Add the pearl barley and thyme to the pot, and give everything a good stir so that the barley has a nice oily coating
  6. Add a ladle of stock into the pot and stir until almost absorbed, continue this process for the next twenty five minutes, remember to stir constantly
  7. Add the asparagus to the pot, and continue ladling the stock and stirring for five more minutes
  8. Add the peas and broad beans to the pot, and cook for 5 more minutes,
  9. After 5 minutes, the barley should be tender, remove from the heat and stir in the mascarpone, parmesan and lemon zest
  10. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with fresh parsley and additional parmesan if desired

Notes:

You might have a little stock left over- it is best to start with more than you need and not use it all!

Adapted from this recipe.

 

Pea-Almond Pesto with Artichokes & Spaghetti

Pea-Almond Pesto with Artichokes & Spaghetti

I am a total pasta-phile, so I am surprised that in 6 months of blogging I have only shared one pasta dish with you! Time to rectify this dire situation, and this Pea-Almond Pesto with Artichokes and Spaghetti is just the place to start. This 

Coconut & Cardamom Rice Pudding

Coconut & Cardamom Rice Pudding

Hello friends! I’m so sorry I abandoned you last week, I was on holiday in Texas with my husband, soaking up the sun and packing away some serious calories (hard to avoid in Houston!). I arrived home yesterday refreshed, and ready to give my puppy