Pearl Barley, tomato and garlic risotto

Kitchen Classics

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Published: Fri 17 Feb 2012, 6:18 PM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 2:56 PM

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Olive oil 3 tbsp

Garlic, peeled, quartered 2 pc

Tomato, peeled, chopped 750 gm

Tomato paste (Passata) 200 gm

Paprika ½ tsp

Chilli flakes, dried 1/8 tsp

Thyme, picked, clean 1 tsp

Lemon zest 4 pc

Castor sugar 1 ½ tsp

Pearl barley, rinsed, drained 270 gm

Vegetable stock 200 ml

Pecorino, shaved 50 gm

Parsley, chopped 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method

Heat the olive oil over a medium-sized saucepan.

Sauté the garlic quarters for two minutes until golden.

Add the tomato, tomato paste (Passata), paprika, chilli, thyme, lemon zest, salt, sugar, pearl barley as well as a ladleful of stock.

Stir and bring the mixture to a simmer (about 50-60 minutes) until the barley is tender and firm to the bite.

Stir from time to time to avoid the barley sticking to the pan.

Add just enough stock to keep the barley moist.

At the end of the cooking, the mix should be runny enough to easily spoon into bowls.

Mix in the chopped parsley.

Ladle the risotto onto a plate and garnish with shaved pecorino.

Eaton Mess

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Strawberry, halved 6 pc

Strawberry jam 2 tbsp

Meringue, broken 150 gm

Cream, softly whipped 300 ml

Egg white 1 pc

Sugar 2 tbsp

Method

Mash strawberry with the strawberry jam.

Beat egg white and sugar to a stiff peak and bake it in a 70°C oven for 2 hours till dry.

Whip cream to a soft peak on an ice bath.

In a clear glass bowl, layer cream, strawberry and meringue and continue doing 2 to 3 layers.

Serve in a port glass.

Parmesan Battered Chicken Breast
Serves: 2

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp

Butter, cubed 10 gm

Anchovy, chopped 4 pc

Green pea, fresh, shelled 1 cup

Water 1 cup

Chicken breast, 
beaten out ½ cm thick 2 pc

Egg 1 pc

Parmesan cheese, grated 3 tbsp

Plain flour 2 tbsp

Lemon, wedges 1 pc

Pepper, ground to taste

Salt a pinch

Method

In a frying pan, heat a little olive oil and butter together.

Add the anchovy with a pinch of salt and allow to melt in.

Add the peas, toss to coat, then add the water and leave the peas to braise until soft.

Make a batter from the beaten egg, Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.

In a fresh pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil with 1 tbsp of butter.

Coat the chicken lightly in flour then dip in the batter and pan fry until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes on each side).

To serve, finish with pepper, a splash of olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Note: Take care while seasoning the green peas and the batter as the anchovies and Parmesan cheese have a good amount of salt in them.

Rajiv Ranjan
Sous Chef, Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments, Bur Dubai

• Food and Dining