Recipe: Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Portobellos

BARLEY RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS AND PORTOBELLOS

12 ounces portobello mushrooms
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
3 cans (10.5-ounce each) condensed chicken broth
3 soup cans water
6 Tbs. olive oil, divided
2 cups pearled barley (not quick-cooking)
1 lb. thin asparagus
about 1/3 cup slivered almonds, optional
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
dash hot pepper sauce
1 Tbs. butter

Clean the mushrooms and slice or break them into bite-size chunks. Peel and chop the onion. Peel and press or mince the garlic. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth and water to a simmer; keep warm.

While the broth is heating, in a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat, add the mushroom pieces and cook, stirring, 4 or 5 minutes, until they are almost tender. Remove them from the pot and set them aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the pot, add the sliced onions and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat. After a minute, lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and continue to cook and stir another few minutes until the onions are translucent. Stir in the barley and cook 1 more minute.

Lower the heat to medium-low. Add about a cup of the hot broth to the barley mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and the broth is almost completely absorbed. Repeat, adding hot broth when the previous addition is almost completely absorbed (every 5 minutes or so - adjust heat under the barley if it's taking much less time or much more). When all the broth is in, the barley should be a little on the chewy side of tender.

Sometime during the long process of adding the broth to the barley, break off the woody ends of the asparagus, rinse the stalks and cut them into 1-inch pieces - or a little shorter near the thick ends of the stalks. Bring a pot of water to the boil and cook the asparagus pieces 2 or 3 minutes to brighten the color; drain, plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking and drain again.

Also while the barley cooks, if using the almonds, toast them in a frying pan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to color and become fragrant, about 7 minutes. Pour them out of the pan immediately and set aside to cool.

When all the broth has been added to the barley, stir in the asparagus and mushrooms. Cook a few minutes longer until the barley is tender.

Add the cheese, pepper, hot pepper sauce and butter and stir well to melt cheese and butter. Stir in the almonds or pass them for guests to add.

Serves 8 as a side dish.