4

108 GOURMET TRAVELLER

Miso-glazed mushrooms with walnuts

and black barley

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 35 MINS

Grains are wonderful cooked pilaf-style – they’ll plump up and take in other

flavours really easily. Don’t forget the walnuts here to add some crunch.

1 tbsp olive oil

40 gm butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely

chopped

750 ml (3 cups) chicken stock

250 gm black barley (see note)

1 tbsp shiro (white) miso

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sake

300 gm Swiss brown

mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Roasted walnuts, to serve

Baby shiso leaves

(optional), to serve

1 Heat oil and half the butter

in a saucepan over high heat,

add onion and garlic and

stir occasionally until tender

(5-6 minutes). Add stock and

barley, season to taste and

bring to the boil, then reduce

heat to low, cover with a

lid and cook until liquid is

absorbed and barley is tender

(20-25 minutes). Keep warm.

2 Combine miso, soy and

sake in a bowl and set aside.

Heat remaining butter in a

saucepan over high heat, add

mushrooms and stir occasionally

until softened (1-2 minutes), then

add miso mixture and stir

until mushrooms are glazed

(1-2 minutes). Stir through

vinegar, season with black

pepper and remove from heat.

3 Stir half the mushrooms

through the barley and transfer

to bowls. Top with remaining

mushrooms, crumble over

walnuts and top with shiso

leaves to serve.

NoteBlack barley is available

from select delicatessens. If

you can’t find it, substitute

pearl barley.

Wine suggestionMature

full-bodied shiraz from

your cellar.