Barley risotto with savoy cabbage and tomatoes + savoy cabbage chips {vegan}

(cliccate qui per la versione italiana)

Happy Monday everyone!

Do you guys prefer following simple and “poor” recipes or you like preparing complicated dishes featuring many and refined ingredients? I’m definitely more towards the former. I love creating dishes only using few, simple ingredients, it gives me great satisfaction! Let’s look at today’s recipe: the base ingredients are barley, savoy cabbage, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and salt. Optional: vegetable stock (can be subbed with water) and white wine (can be omitted). The result: a delicious, warming and filling barley risotto.

BARLEY RISOTTO WITH SAVOY CABBAGE AND TOMATOES + SAVOY CABBAGE CHIPS {vegan}
by Marta Giaccone

Recipe
2-3 portions
prep time: 10 mins, cook time: 45 mins, total time: 55 mins

Barley risotto
150 gr pearl barley
3 cloves of garlic
evo oil
salt
10 cherry tomatoes
¼ of a head of Savoy cabbage
4 cups / 1 lt vegetable stock, boiling hot
about 1/3 of a cup of white wine

Method

1. Add 2 tbsp of oil and the garlic to a pan and let sauté for a few minutes on medium-low heat, until the garlic turns golden. Add chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Let cook for about 5 minutes until they are soft and creamy.
2. Wash, dry and chop the cabbage, then add it to the pan. Let cook, uncovered, over medium heat, for 5 minutes, often mixing. Lower the flame to medium-low, cover and let cook for another 5-10 minutes until tender.
3. Thoroughly rinse the barley under running water. Create a well in the pan using a wooden spoon to push the veggies to the sides, add a tbsp of oil and the barley. Let it toast for a couple of minutes, then mix and add the white wine. Let the wine evaporate, stirring often, over medium heat.
4. Cook the barley as if it was a risotto: add a few ladles of boiling hot vegetable stock until it covers the contents of the pan, cover and let simmer over medium heat. Add more broth when the liquid is nearly fully absorbed. It should take about 25 minutes. Check for salt!

Savoy cabbage chips
savoy cabbage
evoo
salt

Method

1. Turn on the grill.
2. Wash, dry and roughly chop any amount of savoy cabbage.
3. In a mixing bowl add the cabbage, some oil and salt. Mix well with your hands.
4. Spread evenly on an oven tray lined with parchment paper, making sure the pieces don’t touch (you may need to make various batches).
5. Grill for about 5 minutes or until they start to get golden and crispy (be very careful as they will burn in seconds).