Nettle and Barley Risotto with Creamy Pistachio Vinaigrette Salad

For risotto and salad only - 15-20 min.

With fish - 15-20 min

With chicken 45-50 min

Base Kit - Risotto, cheese, toasted pinenuts, dressing, chopped pistachio nuts.  

For salad - romain, little gem or butter lettuce, radishes and/or baby turnips (dressing works great on just about any salad combination that has crisp lettuce and refreshing veggies) OR, for roasted veggies, 4-6 medium sized beets, cauliflower, butternut squash or carrots.  Eggs (optional).

Thaw in cold water, open immediately, refrigerate and use within 48 hours.

Risotto - Add risotto to a deep skillet and heat on medium low to medium, stirring often.  Add small amounts of water if necessary, stiring it in as the risotto warms.  Serve topped with an over easy fried egg or poached egg (both optional) and, while still hot, sprinkle cheese over the top.  Garnish with any fresh, leafy herbs you might have on hand.

Salad - Chop lettuce and thinly slice radish (and any other veggies).  Boil eggs (if using) - Add to a pot of hot water, bring to a boil on high and boil for 6-7 min exactly and run under cold water before peeling and cutting into wedges.  Mix dressing with 1/2 of the chopped nuts and then toss with salad (should be a generous coating).  

OR

Roasted Veggies - Beets (our favorite) - Pre-heat oven to 400F.  Add whole beets to the oven on a tray and cook for about 30-50 min (depending on size).  To speed cooking, peel beats and cut into bite size pieces, toss with olive oil and roast on a sheet pan for about 20 minutes until just tender inside, but with just a bit of crunch.  Rub peels off and cut into wedges.  Toss with dressing and pistachios and add in boiled egg wedges as desired.  Garnish with any fresh herbs you might have on hand.  

With Seabass Filets - Pre-heat oven to 400-450F.  Dry and then salt and pepper filets.  Heat a frying pan on medium-high.  Add butter or oil and once hot add filet, searing until just golden brown on each side (3-5 min).  Move pan with fish to oven to finish cooking (3-5 min).  Fish should be opaque through and just barley flacking.

Chicken - Pre-heat oven to 420F.  Dry fully thawed chicken throughly.  Set on a sheet pan and roast until internal temperature reaches 155F (30-50 min).  Remove, tent with foil and let rest before slicing.  Be sure to save juices and use as a sauce (mix in a bit of butter).

Risotto - Barley, nettles, milk cream, goat cheese (goats milk, salt, citric acid), aged pecorino romano cheese (whole sheep's milk, salt, enzymes and cultures), lemon juice and zest, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper.   Truffled pecorino cheese - Whole milk, black truffles, Bee polen and levandar flowers.  Dressing - Sour cream (milk, culture), mayonnaise (soybean oil, water, eggs, vinegar, salt, sugar, lemon juice, calcium disodium EDTA, natural flavors), white wine vinegar, avocado oil, shallots, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, honey, salt pepper.  Pistachios - Pistachios.