- 4
- 10 mins
- 65 mins
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 medium carrot, sliced
- 1/2 small butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 to 5 cups torn spinach
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional
- I roasted onion, asparagus, zuchinnni
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Toss the carrot, and butternut squash and other veggies with 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and the salt on a baking sheet and spread out in an even layer. Roast until golden and tender, about 25 minutes.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoons olive oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the barley, onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften a bit, about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine, and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed. Add 2 cups of the broth, thyme, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Add the remaining broth and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender but still slightly firm and the mixture is still soupy, about 30 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables and cook until the vegetables are heated through. Stir the spinach into the risotto, then let the mixture sit until the greens wilt, about 3 minutes. If the risotto thickens up too much, thin it out with a little hot water. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Pass grated cheese at the table.