Italian Classics, our way

Michael wanted to try the old Italian classic fennel dish, Insalata d'aranciata e finocchio.  So, we went for it.  Thinly sliced rings of crisp fennel bulb, along with the chopped green feathery bits, and slices of Clementine oranges are basically all there is to this salad.  It is simply dressed with red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt.  This is a refreshing dish.  Though fennel is often described as having an 'anise' flavor, it is quite mild and very complementary when paired with citrus.

We served it with a Milanese style "risotto" made with barley.  I've made faux risotto many times with barley by now, and I've grown very fond of these grains.  Arborio rice is of course the traditional grain for this dish, but I'm not missing it.  The saffron, butter, onions, chicken broth, and parmigiano reggiano all meld together so well, they really do produce the authentic flavor, if not precisely the texture of this classic Italian dish.

Barley "Paella"

Not a very good picture, but I had to share this little discovery because it was so damn good.  First of all, I've only recently discovered barley as an alternative to rice and you'll have to excuse me if I go a little crazy with it.

While white rice rates a 58 on the glycemic index, barley is at a comfortable 25.  Also, as far as whole grains go, barley is very easy to eat and comes reasonably close to the texture of a risotto rice dish when prepared in the traditional fashion.  I did prepare this dish in the manner of a risotto, but I used ingredients that were characteristic of Spanish cuisine, something like a Paella.  I got a real nice facial steam bath while doing it, too.




Barley "Paella"

1 onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
3/4 cup pearled barley
1/2 can Anaheim green chiles
1/2 can chopped peeled tomatoes
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp cumin
pinch of cayenne
1 tsp Spanish paprika
salt and pepper to taste
10 medium shrimp
2 small chicken sausages, sauteed and sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
4 chopped green onions
shredded Manchego for garnish

In a large saucepan, bring the tomato juice, chicken broth, and water to a boil.  Add shrimp, simmer for a few minutes (until pink and rising to surface).  Use slotted spoon to transfer shrimp to a bowl, set aside (peel when cool).  The cooking liquid should remain on stove, with heat turned down to a simmer.

In a heavy non-reactive pot, drizzle in olive oil and saute onions until translucent.  Add green bell pepper, garlic, and continue sauteing until soft.  Add the barley and toast the grains lightly.  Add the spices, salt, and pepper.  Throw in the chopped peeled tomatoes and the green chiles.  After everything is blended and starting to cook down, ladle in some of the simmering broth.  Continually stir the barley as it absorbs the liquid.  The barley will begin sticking to the bottom of the pot after a couple minutes, and this is your signal to add more broth.  Continue in this vein until the barley is swollen and slightly bigger than a grain of fully cooked Arborio rice.  Remove from heat.

Taste and correct the seasoning to suit your tastes.  You will want to incorporate the shrimp and sausage at this point along with the green onions and most of your parsley.  Serve with a garnish of parsley and a few shreds of Manchego cheese.

Barley Risotto

Fully aware that this is supposed to be a phase 2 or 3 dish, Michael and I concluded that the barley had a low enough gi that using it as our main dish wouldn't be such a bad thing.  Our cupboard was bare and our enthusiasm waning, so we made it into a very simple dish with just mushrooms, onions, broth and barley.  Barley, though it is considered a grain, has a glycemic index number (25) very close to vegetables allowed in phase one South Beach.  

Since we were desperately craving anything remotely resembling a grain, we went for it.  It seemed like the least offensive choice we could possibly have made.  Served with a salad, it was satisfying.  I think next time we'd add some chopped lean ham, more mushrooms, and some celery.