Thursday, September 16, 2010

barley risotto with corn and basil

Ahh, I continue to be surprised by Everyday Food. Tuesday we had Barley Risotto with Corn and Basil, and like Monday's Brazilian Black Beans, it came with an initial trepidation.

I'm not one for barley, but love risotto, so I just kept in mind that this was a healthier whole grain option. It is prepared the exact same way as risotto - which is a real pain in the butt. In the past I haven't left the stove for half an hour to an hour when making it. If you've ever made risotto before you know that you must stand by adding cupful by cupful of stock, frequently stirring the grains while they slowly absorb all liquid until fully cooked. Not a good recipe for a mom watching over a baby. That is to say I stepped away for 10 minutes after each liquid addition and came back and added another. My lack of attention and commitment made no difference whatsoever because this recipe turned out to al dante
perfection!

What a comforting joy this recipe is. The corn (fresh from the cob from Tina's) had the same bite as the barley with added sweetness. The basil (also fresh from Tina's) added a nice herbal and fragrant flavour that made everything a little lighter. Owen ate an adult size portion of this! He just kept gobbling it up. It was an incredible dinner we wish we were eating it again tonight.

No comments: