Pumpkin, Pearl Barley and Pine Mushroom risotto

Final update for the day, I promise! This is a Pumpkin, Pine Mushroom and Pearl Barley risotto. pearl barley instead of arborio rice works marvellously. You need to stir it far less than rice, but it does take a while longer to get to the right mouth feel.

Pine mushrooms are giant orange things, look a little scary, you need to brush the pine needles off and slice them up, fry them before adding to the risotto (I put them in right at the end of this one). They taste wild (wild as in not farmed, that is). It is pretty good.

So I diced and roasted the pumpkin, began the risotto with an onion and some garlic, a cup of pearl barley and a glass of wine. Used a chicken stock as the water, kept adding as the barley soaked up the liquid (standard risotto stylings). Towards the end add roast pumpkin. At the very end, add pine mushroom (that you have sliced and cooked in some butter in a medium heat frypan beforehand).

Served on rocket with parmesan.

2x2 peoples worth:
1 cup pearl barley
1 glass wine
Chicken stock (as needed)
1 large white onion
6 cloves garlic
1 large pine mushroom
400gm pumpkin, diced.

Rocket to serve