Comfort Food Needed! Creamy Wild Mushroom Barley Risotto

Fortunately, the chilly weather for which I have been longing has finally come to Sydney - the mornings are bracing, the days are crisp, the nights are cosy under the doona. Unfortunately, the change in the weather has also brought me a touch of the cold, and I've been feeling pretty under the weather for the last two days, hacking and wheezing and surrounded by a growing pile of tissues.

Such circumstances have called for comfort food - bowl food. On a recent trip to the fish markets deli I bought a bag of Italian pearled barley with the thought of making a risotto. I was reminded of it yesterday as I sniffled my way through the local IGA, and I found myself piling packages of mixed mushrooms into my shopping basket.

I must confess that I am not the greatest fan of regular risotto - you know, the 'proper' type, made with arborio or carnaroli rice. I have never been one to enjoy what I call 'soggy' textures, and for this reason I have never warmed to things such as rice pudding, porridge, bread and butter pudding, for example. Risotto causes a similar struggle - or so I thought, until I had the most delightful Truffled Spelt Risotto at Bilsons a year or two ago. The use of spelt was such a revelation to me - the joy of risotto but with a firmer texture, much more to my liking.

I've subsequently become a bit of a risotto monster, substituting other grains such as farro and spelt for the rice in many risotto recipes. As far as grains go, however, barley, is my clear favourite - if one can have such a thing as a favourite grain! I got hooked on barley from an early age, thanks to my very Scottish Nanna feeding me bowls of her Scottish Broth filled with to the brim with the stuff. These days I use it in soups, stews, salads - to be honest, I'll use it anywhere I can manage to throw it - but I particularly love it when cooked 'risotto-style'.

In a large, heavy based saucepan (I find a big cast iron one works a treat for this dish), add a knob of butter with 1 of the garlic cloves, crushed, and the chopped mushrooms. Season to taste and saute a few minutes until the mushrooms have softened and reduced. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, heat the chicken stock to simmering and keep on a low simmer. If you are using porcini powder, add this to your stock.

In the same heavy based pan in which you cooked your mushrooms (don't wash it!), add another knob of butter, or use some olive oil if you prefer, and throw in the chopped eschallots and the other clove of garlic, which you will need to crush. Stir for a few moments until the shallots have softened, and then tip in the barley. Stir the grains for a few moments so that they are coated in the butter/oil.

Add the wine and allow it to bubble and fizz, before stirring and scraping the bottom of your pan to ensure the grains don't stick. Once the wine has been completely absorbed by the barley, you can start adding the stock a ladleful at a time - no more! - ensuring that each ladleful is completely absorbed by the grains before adding the next. Be sure to add your mushroom stock if you used dried porcinis. Stir regularly. You will need to continue this process until most or all of the stock is absorbed and the grains are tender - it will take a while, about an hour of stirring and ladling.

Add mascarpone and mushies

Once the grain is tender and your risotto is almost done, add your reserved mushrooms and stir in the mascarpone to taste, as well as a grating of parmesan (just don't do what I did and grate your knuckle off in haste - ouch!). Stir in most of the parsley and lots of freshly ground black pepper, and some sea salt to taste (it may not need it, depending how well you seasoned your mushies and if you have salty stock).

Serve in bowls topped with a little extra parmesan and a sprinkling of parsley.

If you're feeling indulgent (or you just had some on hand, like I did) you can drizzle over a little truffle oil at the end.

* Porcini Powder is, as the name suggests, a powder made from dried porcini mushrooms. I have a small jar from the Essential Ingredient, and it is useful for situations where I have forgotten to pick up some dried porcini mushrooms (which is what I would normally add to this risotto). It's a great thing to have on hand to add a bit of extra flavour to stocks and sauces and soups and stews as well.