Wild Mushroom & Barley Orzotto

Method

1. Pop the dried mushrooms into a heatproof bowl and pour over 1.2 litres of boiling water. Set aside to rehydrate for around 10 minutes, while you chop the vegetables.
2. Once the mushrooms are soft, drain through a fine sieve, making sure to reserve the liquid (discarding any grit which usually sinks to the bottom) as this will be the stock. Add a few pinches of sea salt and a good grind of black pepper to the liquid.
3. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan heat a good few glugs of extra virgin olive oil and a knob of butter over a low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onion, garlic and celery and cook very slowly for around 15 minutes. You want the vegetables to be soft but not coloured.
4. Add the rehydrated mushroom, frying for a few minutes more, before adding the pearled barley. Turn up the heat and fry for a minute or two, mixing often, before adding the white wine. It will smell fantastic!
5. Once the wine has been absorbed, add a good ladleful of the hot mushroom stock. You want the liquid to be gently simmering, rather than boiling, as this helps the grains cook evenly. Gently stir every now and again with a wooden spoon, massaging the stock into grains.
6. Once the stock has been absorbed, add another ladleful and mix gently, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat this step until the grains are tender but still retain a bite. This will take around 35-40 minutes. If you run out of stock you can use some boiling water.
7. Once cooked, turn off the heat. Add the grated parmesan, a knob of butter, most of the fresh thyme leaves and a splash of tarragon vinegar. Mix well and pop on the lid, allowing the risotto to rest for around 5 minutes.