My mouth is watering all over again writing this post. I had left over barley from the Beef & Barley Red Wine Stew I made a few weeks ago, so I was hunting for ideas of something I could make with the remains. I thought it might be fun to try making risotto with the barley, and I found a recipe that suggested topping with steak. I changed up the recipe a little bit, and added in Gamay Noir from Chateau Grand Traverse and used top sirloin instead of filet. I also topped with goat cheese, because you can never have enough cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of barley
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 4 ounces of fresh mushrooms
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 1/2 cups of chicken stock
- 1 cup of medium bodied red wine
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- goat cheese
Step 1
Toast half of the barley for 3 minutes in a saute pan until it’s golden brown, then set aside.
Step 2
Heat oil and butter to medium heat in the same pan, add chopped onions, garlic, mushrooms and wine. Cook until softened, then add in all the barley and the bay leaf.
Step 3
This is the part that takes awhile depending on the type of barley you use. Add in chicken stock, a 1/2 cup at a time, bring to a simmer, and let the liquid soak into the barley before adding more. This took a good half hour. When all the liquid is absorbed, add in the Parmesan and spices.
Step 4
In a separate pan, add in some oil and spices, heat to medium, and sear the top sirloin for two minutes on each side. Place them in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for around 12 minutes – the time will differ depending on what kind of meat you use, the thickness, and your desired temperature of the meat. (I like mine pretty rare.)
Step 5
Spoon some of the risotto onto a plate, top with slices of the steak, and sprinkle with goat cheese. Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf. Pair with some of the delicious left over Gamay Noir. It’s a lovely medium bodied red with flavors of plum and black pepper. Enjoy!
