MUTTON SHOULDER AND PEARL BARLEY RISOTTO WITH MINT AND PEAS
By Graeme Pallister
GRAEME PALLISTER is the owner of the award-winning restaurant, 63 Tay Street, in Perth. His ethos is all about local, honest and simple food all prepared with skill and passion. For details: www.63taystreet.com
Mutton can conjure up images of an old, wind-beaten hag limping about the hill. I’m here to assure you all that this simply isn’t true.
If we give the meat from a sheep its proper address, lamb becomes hogget first and then mutton.
Mutton can be little over a year old, but if you want a wonderful and rich flavour then you shouldn’t discount mutton, even when it reaches three or four years old.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 – 1.5k mutton shoulder piece, on the bone
250g pearl barley, soaked overnight and drained
2 shallots, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 stick of celery, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 glass of dry white wine
2 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and diced
25g chopped mint
15g chopped parsley
15g chopped tarragon
100g fresh or quality frozen peas
Juice of half a lemon
25g grated Parmesan
25g unsalted butter
Method
1 Season the mutton well and place in a preheated oven at 140°C, cover with foil and cook very slowly for approximately 3 hours until the meat leaves the bone easily. Allow to cool and, with a fork, gently shred the meat. Toss in any cooking liquid that is left.
2 In a solid, wide-based pan melt the butter, add the shallot, carrot, celery and garlic and a small pinch of salt. After a couple of minutes, add the barley and cook gently for 2 minutes, deglaze the pan with wine and reduce fully. Add a pint of water or chicken stock, a pinch of salt, grind of pepper and cook until the barley is softened, but with a little bite; about 20 minutes. It may need more stock during cooking.
3 Once the liquid has evaporated and the barley is rich and softened, add the shredded mutton. Gently return to a simmer, stirring all the time, then add the remaining eight ingredients. Mix well and warm through, adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve immediately with pea shoots or green vegetables.
In association with Taste Communications
www.tastecommunications.co.uk
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