Tomato and barley risotto faces

Not yet rated

Pearl barley makes an excellent alternative to rice in risottos, adding a nutty flavour and bite. With a fun twist of creating faces with vegetable shapes, this is Andrew MacKenzie's preferred dish for encouraging his children to eat vegetables. Swap the Parmesan for a veggie alternative if desired.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Pearl barley risotto faces

Easy tomato sauce

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender

Method

1
Soak the pearl barley in water overnight, then drain well
2
For the tomato sauce, blanch the tomatoes for a few seconds in a pan of boiling water then transfer to a bowl of iced water. Peel the skins, remove the seeds and dice the flesh
3
Place a pan over a low-medium heat and add olive oil. Once the oil is hot, sweat the shallots and garlic. Add the diced tomatoes and 200ml of vegetable stock and cook for 15 minutes
4
Transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth. Pass through a sieve and set aside
5
For the risotto, place a heavy-based pan over a medium heat and add vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced shallots and crushed garlic and cook until transparent
6
Add the pearl barley and fry gently for 2 minutes. Then, add the tomato sauce, a little at a time, stirring constantly until all the sauce has been absorbed
7
Gradually add the remaining stock, stirring at regular intervals until the barley is tender and all the stock has been absorbed
  • 600ml of vegetable stock
8
One by one, cook the baby corn, green beans, carrot and beetroot - it is important you cook this last - in lightly salted boiling water for 2 minutes each. Strain and set aside
9
Stir in the Parmesan and divide the risotto onto 4 plates, shaping each mound into a circle
10
Arrange the vegetables on top to make faces (carrots for mouth, corn for nose, beetroot for eyes and beans for eyebrows) and serve immediately
First published in 2015

Andrew MacKenzie was destined to be a chef, inspired by his uncles, who both cooked professionally. Over his career, he has championed British produce and become a true authority on Sussex's local larder.

Get in touch

Please sign in or register to send a comment to Great British Chefs.