Beetroot and Barley Risotto

Name: Beetroot and Barley Risotto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Ingredients: 500 g raw beetroot, peeled and cut into 2 cm dice; 4 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 sticks celery, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tsp thyme leaves; 300 g pearl barley, rinsed; 150 ml dry white wine; 1.3 litres hot vegetable stock; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; salt and black pepper; 120 g soft goat cheese; 60 g walnuts, toasted and broken; 1 small handful dill or parsley; 1 tbsp good olive oil

Pearl barley instead of rice, so it keeps some bite and does not need standing over. The colour is frankly ridiculous, which is half the pleasure of putting it on the table.

Prep 15 min
Cook 55 min
Total 1 h 10 min
Serves 4
Vegetarian

A wide shallow bowl of deep magenta beetroot and barley risotto topped with white goat cheese, walnuts and green herbs.

Method

Step 1. Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Toss half the beetroot with 2 tablespoons of the oil and salt and roast for 30 minutes until the edges catch. This half brings sweetness; the rest goes in raw and brings colour.
Step 2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a wide heavy pan. Cook the onion and celery gently for 10 minutes with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent but not coloured.
Step 3. Add the garlic, thyme and the raw diced beetroot. Cook for 5 minutes more.
Step 4. Stir in the barley and turn it over in the pan for 2 minutes until it looks glossy.
Step 5. Pour in the wine and let it bubble away almost completely — about 2 minutes.
Step 6. Add the hot stock a third at a time, stirring occasionally rather than constantly; barley does not need the attention rice does. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, until the grains are tender with a slight chew and the whole pan is loose and glossy.
Step 7. Stir in the roasted beetroot and the vinegar. The vinegar is not optional — beetroot without acid tastes flat and faintly of soil. Season and check again.
Step 8. Serve in warm bowls with spoonfuls of goat cheese, the walnuts, herbs and a thread of good oil.

Notes from the kitchen

Wear an apron and use a board you do not love. Beetroot juice on a light worktop lifts with lemon and salt if you get to it quickly.
For a vegan version, drop the cheese and stir 3 tablespoons of tahini through at the end — it gives the same creamy weight and suits the beetroot well.
It thickens a lot in the fridge. Loosen with hot stock, not water, when reheating.

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Method

Notes from the kitchen

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