Barley risotto with yellowfoot mushrooms and fresh garlic

A bit of experiment here; I wanted to make a risotto but using barley, because I still had lots from the barley casserole. I used too the mushrooms I picked and dried in autumn; yellowfoot.

Turn out really good recipe so I decided to share it with you!

Serves for 2

Ingredients

• 1,5 dl broken barley
• 10 fresh garlic
• 4 shallots
• Dried mushrooms, bit more of half a mug
• knob of butter
• Parmesan cheese
• 1,5L vegetable broth
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Start rehydrate the mushrooms with hot water and let it rest for 10 min. Meanwhile in a big sauce pan, add the butter and the finely chopped shallots and saute. When they change colour add the mushrooms and the fresh garlic chopped saute for 2-3 min.

Meanwhile your broth has to be ready and boiling.

Add the barley, mix all together and add the broth, slowly till everything gets soaked, from now on is a labour intensive process, you have to keep stirring with a wooden spoon and when the broth gets sucked, add a bit more. this process takes 20-25minutes.

When you have the barley at your desire taste, grate the Parmesan, give it a last stir and it is ready to be served!

Enjoy it!
Mr South

Beans with aspargus

Ingredients

• 300 gr big white beans
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 big onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 leek
• couple garlic nails
• white aspargus 
• parsley
• 1dl white whine
• 4 eggs
• saffron

Preparation

Leave overnight the beans in water, at least 12h. Next day discard the water and in a pot place the beans, onion, carrot, leek, garlic and bay leave, cover everything with water and set the fire to medium heat.

When the water starts to boil, drop half a glass of cold water to stop the boiling, this prevents the beans to break. Repeat this for 3-4 times and then let it boil slowly for 1,5-2h or as long as the package recommends.

When the beans are cooked place the vegetables, discarting the carrot and bay leaves, and blend it together with few broken beans, this will help thicken the sauce. Pour it back to the pot with the rest of the beans and mix gently, always with a wooden spoon.

Chop the parsley finely and pour it to the pot, as well add the white aspargus (you can chop them or put them whole), a bit of saffron and the white wine, let it boil for few minutes to evaporate the alcohol.

Serve with half boiled egg

If you have available, add few clams few minutes before serving.
Hope you like it!
Mr South

Crepe Suzette by Gordon Ramsay

Recipe from Gordon Ramsay

Serves for 4 people.

Ingredients

• 2dl flour
• 3dl milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 oranges
• 50g sugar
• 4cl cointreau
• 25g hazelnuts 
• butter
• salt

Preparation

In a bowl add the flour, a pinch of salt and the battered eggs, mix all together and add the milk. Melt a knob of butter and add it with the zest of an orange. Let it rest for 30min.

Make the crepes in a pan with a bit of butter.

Peel the two oranges and cut nice parts, squeeze the rest. In a pan add the sugar, caramelise, once ready add the cointreau and flambé it. After fire is gone, add the juice and the chopped hazelnuts and the orange pieces.

Plate the crepes folded in quarters and pour the caramel sauce on top.

Serve with vanilla-blueberry ice cream.

Mr South