Ingredients
- 1 pound pearl barley
- 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into small dice, and sautéed until brown
- 1 pound small onion, cut into small dice
- 3 cup assorted seasonal or wild mushrooms, washed, dried and individually pre-sautéed (mushroom choices could be shitake, oyster, chanterelle, or crimini)
- 5 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sweet unsalted butter
- 1 pound pearl barley
- 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into small dice, and sautéed until brown
- 1 pound small onion, cut into small dice
- 3 cup assorted seasonal or wild mushrooms, washed, dried and individually pre-sautéed (mushroom choices could be shitake, oyster, chanterelle, or crimini)
- 5 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sweet unsalted butter
- 6 five ounce filets, scaled, deboned, skin on
Preparation
Baking Directions:
For the Barley Risotto 1. In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté onion until light brown.
Add barley and lightly toast, about 3 minutes.
2.Add 3 cups chicken broth and simmer barley until al dente over low heat, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
If barley seems too hard and not cooked, add 1/4 cup more of stock until done al dente.
3.Once barley is done, spread on cookie sheet or sheet pan, to cool down.
This can be done ahead of time, even the day before.
4.To finish barley risotto: Place barley in heavy bottom saucepan or sauté pan, add 1/2 cup chicken broth, and heat at low temperature.
Once barley is hot, start cooking the branzino (see recipe below), barley is only a few minutes away from being done.
5.Add heavy cream to barley and slowly cook out, starch will come out of barley and thicken with cream.
6.To finish, add precooked butternut squash and wild mushrooms.
Season with salt and pepper.
7.Place risotto on platter or dinner plate.
Remove branzino from pan and place on top.
For the Branzino (European Sea Bass)1. Over medium high heat in non-stick sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
2.Cook branzino, skin side down, about 2 minutes on each side.
