Spa Cuisine: Arugula-Wild Mushroom Barlotto

Photo courtesy of New Hampshire Mushroom Company, LLC

Well it appears as if this is going to turn into a series of recipes, all of healthy cooking and "conscious cuisine."  And while the timing coincides with the start of the springtime "gotta get a beach body" workout frenzy, these are recipes and techniques that can be implimented and rolled out any time of year.

"Barlotto" is a twist on the Venetian rice dish, risotto...only this version is made with pearled barley.  The technique is the same as when cooking risotto, and you can replace the barley with carnaroli rice, (short grain rice with the perfect combination of amylose and amylopectin...another post sometime in the future perhaps), or any whole-grain, (cooking time may need to be adjusted).

Arugula Barlotto  - Studded with Roquefort Cheese and Wild Mushrooms
Serves 6

For the Arugula Broth

_          tsp.                  Olive Oil Spray
1          Cup                 Diced Yellow Onion
2          tsp.                  Garlic, Minced
3          Cups                Arugula Leaves
4          Cups                Vegetable Stock
1          tsp.                  Sea Salt
to taste                        Freshly Ground Pepper

Heat a medium sauté pan over high heat; lightly spray pan with olive oil. Add onions and garlic. Sauté while stirring constantly for one minute. Add arugula stirring constantly for an additional minute. Pour hot vegetable stock into pan; season with sea salt and pepper. Place entire contents in a blender and puree until smooth. Reserve on the side while keeping broth hot.

For the Barlotto

_          tsp.                  Olive Oil Spray
1          Cup                 Diced Yellow Onion
2          tsp.                  Minced Garlic
1 lb. or 2 cups             Pearl Barley
5 to 6   Cups                Arugula Broth
1          Tbsp.               Roquefort Cheese
To Taste                      Sea Salt, Ground Pepper, Nutmeg

Heat a medium saucepot over high heat. Lightly spray pot with olive oil. Add onions, garlic and barley. Sauté for 2 minutes.  Stir in 1 – 2 cups of arugula broth, just enough to cover the barley. Stir well and reduce heat to a simmer. Stir barley constantly while cooking. The barley will absorb the liquid as it cooks. Continue to add broth to barley 1 cup at time, as the liquid is absorbed repeat as necessary. Taste the barlotto constantly to check its doneness. Barlotto should be cooked al dente: soft, cooked through, but still posses a slight bite to it.

For the Mushrooms:

_          tsp.                  Olive Oil Spray

4          Cups                Sliced Wild Mushrooms

½         Cup                 Minced Onion

½         tsp.                  Dried Thyme Leaves, Crumbled

to taste                        Sea Salt

to taste                        Ground Black pepper

Heat a medium sauté pan over high heat; lightly spray pan with olive oil. Add onions and sauté while stirring constantly for two to three minutes, or until lightly caramelized.  Add sliced mushrooms and continue to cook until they release liquid; adjust sesoning.  Cvontinue to cook until all of the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms start to turn golden brown.  Remove from heat and reserve warm.

TO ASSEMBLE: Crumble Roquefort into barlotto and stir well to incorporate. The high quality of the cheese enables you to use less. Adjust seasonings with sea salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.  Top with sautéed mushrooms.