When you think of a sustainable diet, you quickly think of a vegetarian and vegan menu, but where your food comes from also counts! With this vegan risotto, you score on all points: the pearl barley comes from Flevoland and you simply buy it at Ekoplaza and the oyster mushrooms are home-grown. In short, a fantastic dish and that is why culinary editor David shares the recipe with you.
Vegan risotto of pearl barley from Flevoland
Before I share the recipe with you, there are a few things you need to know about this recipe with the very Dutch ingredients pearl barley and oyster mushrooms.
What is pearl barley?
Unsurprisingly, risotto rice does not grow in the Netherlands. And yet you can enjoy a risotto and continue to eat locally, because pearl barley is a great alternative and does come from the Netherlands! From Flevoland to be precise, at least if you buy the pearl barley at Ekoplaza. Have you discovered this unusual cereal yet? Pearl barley is made from barley, a forgotten grain that was widely eaten a few hundred years ago, but has faded into the background with the advent of other grains such as rice, couscous and bulgur. Barley has not disappeared completely, as it is a basic ingredient of beer.
How healthy is pearl barley?
Nowadays, we eat barley again much more often in the form of groats or pearl barley. These are steamed barley varieties in which the husk around the barley grain has been ground away. In pearl barley, an extra amount is ground away, creating a round grain. Pearl barley has a neutral, mild flavour and the texture is firm, similar to rice. It is rich in B vitamins, vitamins A, E and D and contains many minerals. In fact, the phosphorus content in pearl barley is twice that of most grains. Pretty crazy that such a beautiful and local product has fallen into oblivion. I hope I can do something about that with this recipe.
Vegan risotto with pearl barley. Super local, because the pearl barley is from Flevoland and we grew the oyster mushrooms ourselves.
Oyster mushrooms from our own cultivation
A quick word about the oyster mushroom. Together with the mushroom, it is the best-known mushroom in the Netherlands. It has a flat, oyster-shaped cap on a small stalk, hence the name. The flesh of the oyster mushroom is soft and fleshy. Oyster mushrooms are not only healthy and primal Dutch, they are also perfect meat substitutes and that alone makes them sustainable. You can simply buy oyster mushrooms in the supermarket, or you can grow them yourself on coffee grounds. We did the latter with a grow kit from Fryslân Fungies. Want to know more about this fun gift idea? Then check out this review on Fryslân Fungies.
We ate this delicious dish for the first time when we were guests of pop up glamping Terra Wolde where owner Lisette served us this dish with vegetables from her own garden. This recipe is based on my memory of this fantastic weekend. Terra Wolde is a great tip for dining or sleeping!
Vegan risotto of pearl barley and oyster mushrooms
Kitchenware
- (saucepan)
- casserole
- cutting board
- vegetable knife
Ingredients
- 120 gr pearl barley
- 1 veggie stock cube
- 150 gr sliced oyster mushrooms
- 1 fennel
- 2 fluorescent rosemary
- 2 fluorescent thyme
- 1 el vegan butter
- 1/2 pointed pepper optional
Instructions
Cook the pearl barley*
- Put the pearl barley with water in a pan with a 1:3 ratio. In this case, 120 g of pearl barley with 360 ml of water.
- Bring to the boil and turn the heat down to low.
- Add a (veg) stock cube.
- Set a 50-minute timer.
Fennel prepare**
- Wash the fennel in cold water.
- Then cut the stems, including the fine green of the tuber.
- Then cut a small piece from the bottom of the tuber to make sure it is clean.
- Halve the tuber so that it sits stably on your cutting board.
- Now cut the tuber into very thin slices and set aside.
- Remove the fine green from the stems and chop finely, save as a garnish.
- Cut the stems into very thin slices and add to the fennel tuber slices.
Fry the oyster mushrooms
- Place the oyster mushrooms on a plate and add some salt. Set the oyster mushrooms aside like this for 30 minutes.
- Bring olive oil with the rosemary in a pan to (high) temperature.
- Add the oyster mushrooms. Move the oyster mushrooms through the pan immediately, so they don't stick. Then leave them alone and fry on one side until the underside is nicely caramelised golden brown. Then turn the oyster mushrooms over and repeat on the other side.
- Remove the oyster mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
- 5 minutes before serving, heat the butter with the thyme in the pan.
- Add the oyster mushrooms, simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serving
- Scoop the pearl barley onto a plate.
- Top this with a layer of fennel.
- Place the oyster mushrooms on top.
- Garnish the dish with the fine green of the fennel.
- Optional: add pieces of pointed pepper.
Notes
More green food tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Vegan recipe: Oyster mushrooms in beer batter with an Asian twist.
- Looking for a tasty vegan snack? This is our favourite popcorn recipe with vegan honey and chilli.
- Looking for a surprisingly delicious cauliflower recipe? Then check out this Instagram-worthy recipe: A whole roasted cauliflower from the oven.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
