Giulia's Barlotto

Recipe

for 4 servings

BARLOTTO

• 160 gr barley
• 1.1 L mushrooms stock
• 20 gr dry porcini mushrooms
• Fresh thyme
• 150 gr diced king oyster mushrooms
• 1 medium finely diced yellow onion (about 40 gr)
• 60 gr unsalted butter

BONE MARROW RAGU’

• 2 bone marrow (about 300 grams) – (Beef from Müritz, Germany)
• Bay leaf
• 1 diced carrot
• Diced celery
• 1 medium finely diced yellow onion (about 40 gr)
• 250 ml beef stock
• 250 ml red wine
• Olive oil

GREMOLADA

• 1 bunch of fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoon of chopped other herb such as fresh cilantro, rosemary, thyme, nasturtium, watercress, basil, chives, thyme
• 1 tablespoon of chopped capers
• Half shallot diced
• 1 tablespoon of lemon zest
• 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly cracked pepper
• Chilly flakes

BONE MARROW RAGU’

• Place bone marrow in a sous-vide bag with bay leaf, salt and extra virgin olive oil. Cook at 71C for 10 hours until the meat pulls off the bone.
• Chop the bone marrow meat with a knife and combine with diced carrots, onion, celery and beef stock to cover. Transfer to a skillet, cook over high heat until half of the juice is reduced and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Alternatively, braise the bone marrow in red wine. Preheat the oven to 200C. Choose a 6 cm roasting pan and warm a film of olive oil over medium heat. Brown the meat on both sides, then transfer to a dry towel. Pour off the fat and wipe the roasting pan clean. Set it over medium heat and add red wine and beef stock. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.
• Arrange the meat evenly in the braising pan. Distribute the bay leaves, diced carrots, onions and celery. Cover the pan with foil or tightly fitting lid. Place in the oven and cook until the bone marrow meat has just began to pull of the bone, usually 3 ½ to 4 hours.
• Take lid off and continue braising for 30 minutes circa. Once the meat is tender, chop it with a knife and combine again with vegetables and stock. If it’s still too liquid, reduce it over high heat until the braising juice becomes quite syrupy.

GREMOLADA

• Chop parsley with a knife and combine with other dry ingredients, salt, pepper and chilly flakes to taste.
• Add olive oil and stir until salt is dissolved into the mixture.

BARLOTTO

• Mushrooms stock: soak dry mushrooms in 1.1 L of water, for about 15 minutes. Add fresh thyme, and transfer to a sauce pan over high heat. Bring to boil, adjust to medium heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Drain the liquid and set aside. Chop porcini mushrooms with a knife.
• Coat a skillet with olive oil and add fresh mushrooms, salt lightly and cook until they color slightly, about 4 to 6 minutes. You should just begin smelling their nutty aroma. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
• Warm half of the butter on the same skillet, add diced onion with a pinch of salt and let them “sweat” over medium heat. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onion are tender and translucent. Add the barley and stir until the grains are warm and coated with fat. Add about one third of the stock, the mushrooms and cook at a gentle simmer, stirring regularly, until the stock has been absorbed. Continue adding stock gradually, checking for tenderness of the grain as each addition is absorbed. It should take between 30 to 40 minutes for the barley to became tender.
• Take off the heat and add the remaining butter. Let this rest for a few minutes.
• Plate on a bowl and garnish with bone marrow ragu, gremolada and fresh herbs.

TURNING BARLOTTO INTO A BARLEY SOUP

Leftover barlotto is a good base for a day after soup.

• Mixed greens: kale, cabbage, spinach, turnip greens
• 100 gr cooked white beans
• 150 gr chicken stock
• 100 gr leftover barlotto
• 50 grams of croutons from stale bread
• Extra virgin olive oil

• Coat a pan with olive oil and cook mixed greens for 3 to 5 minutes. Add chicken stock to cover and simmer by 3 cm. Cover and gently simmer until the mixed greens are tender (about 10 minutes).
• Stir in cooked beans and barlotto, then add more stock. Continue cooking uncovered for 10 more minutes. Add more stock if needed to make a soft porridge.
• Plate on a bowl and add croutons. Garnish with freshly cracked pepper and olive oil.