Spelt Risotto with Red Bell Pepper and Hijiki
by Divina P in Rouxbe RecipesThis dish can be served either as a main course or as a side dish. Either way, this dish is full of flavor with minimal ingredients.
This dish can be served either as a main course or as a side dish. Either way, this dish is full of flavor with minimal ingredients.
To cook the spelt, drain spelt berries and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water through a strainer and remove any dirt or debris that you may find. Drain well.
Place in a pot and add water and salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cover. Simmer for about 1 hour, or until chewy but tender.
Please see note.
Combine the hijiki and cold water in a bowl and let it soak for about 10 minutes or until they're soft but still "al dente". I soak them for just 5 minutes. Strain through a strainer and rinse, then, drain well.
Hijiki water has a strong flavor but you can save the water to hydrate your plants.
To prepare your mise en place, peel and finely diced the onion, red bell pepper and the green onions. Gather the sake, soy sauce and the cooked spelt.
Then, measure out the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
To start the dish, heat a heavy bottomed saute pan over medium-low heat. Then add the oil, followed by the onions. Next, add a pinch of salt and let the onions gently cook until they soften. Add the red bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Next, add the cooked spelt and saute for another minute.
Add the sake and stir until it is completely absorbed. Add the stock a ladle at a time, allowing each ladle to absorb completely before adding the next.
To finish, add the hijiki and the soy sauce and allow to cook for another 2 minutes while stirring. Season to taste with more soy sauce if necessary. Finally, turn off the heat and add the chopped green onion. Serve hot.
I used leftover spelt for this recipe and if you do have leftover spelt in the fridge, this is the best one to use. Cooking this dish the way risotto is cooked hydrates this sturdy grain. Since this grain is earthier, crunchier, heartier than rice, you can pair this with earthy vegetables such as mushrooms, winter squash and some sturdy greens. But almost any ingredient can be used.
Depending on how old or new the grain you are using, the amount of stock and cooking time will vary. A good example would be the spelt that I've used has been at the back of the fridge since last year, so I used more liquid and spent more cooking time for this dish. However, if the grains you have are new, you can use uncooked spelt directly to the pan instead of using leftover cooked spelt, then adjust the liquid and the cooking time.
