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Photo of Barley risotto with balsamic pork and beetroot by WW

Barley risotto with balsamic pork and beetroot

9
Points®
Total Time
5 hr 25 min
Prep
30 min
Cook
55 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Moderate
Why not try swapping traditional Arborio rice for pearl barley in risottos. A lower fat option and higher in fibre there are so many reason it’s a great choice in this balsamic pork and beetroot risotto.

Ingredients

Pearl barley

1 cup(s), (200g)

Freshly squeezed orange juice

¼ cup(s), (60ml)

Balsamic vinegar

2 tsp

Garlic

2 clove(s), crushed

Pork fillet or tenderloin, raw

320 g, (buy 400g) halved crossways

Beetroot

4 medium

Olive oil

1 tbs

Mushrooms

500 g, sliced

Salt reduced chicken stock

3 cup(s), (750ml)

Brown onion

1 medium, finely chopped

Baby spinach

120 g

Soft goat's cheese

60 g, crumbled

Fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tbs, or chervil to serve

Instructions

  1. Place barley in a medium bowl. Cover with cold water and set aside for 4 hours. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, combine juice, vinegar and half the garlic in a shallow dish. Add pork and turn to coat. Cover and place in fridge until required.
  3. Preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan-forced. Wrap each beetroot in foil and place on a baking tray. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender. When cool enough to handle, peel beetroots and cut into strips.
  4. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms, stirring, for 4–5 minutes or until just tender. Transfer to a plate.
  5. Place stock in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until required.
  6. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and remaining garlic, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add barley and stir to coat. Reduce heat and add hot stock mixture, a ladle (½ cup/125ml) at a time, stirring constantly for 20–25 minutes or until barley is tender.
  7. Meanwhile, line a baking tray with baking paper. Heat remaining oil in same cleaned frying pan used for mushrooms over medium-high heat. Cook pork, turning, for 5–7 minutes or until browned. Transfer to prepared tray and bake for 8 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate. Cover pork with foil and set aside to rest for 5 minutes before slicing thickly.
  8. Stir mushrooms and spinach into risotto mixture. Cook for 1 minute or until heated through and spinach wilts. Top risotto with beetroot, pork and goat’s cheese. Sprinkle with chervil or parsley to serve.

Notes

TIP: To easily peel beetroot, leave them wrapped in foil after baking, then rub them between your hands to remove the skin.