Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Parmesan

For some reason it just felt wrong to make risotto over the summer.
Too hot + lots of stirring (you don't really have to stir constantly) = too much time inside by the stove.

I found this risotto recipe over the summer when I was flipping through some of my mother-in-law's old magazines.
As soon as we had a cooler day, this risotto found itself on the menu.

The thing I love most about risotto is that you can use almost any grain you want. You don't have to use rice. This makes risotto seem a little bit healthier to me, when you can use a whole grain. And I love risotto because it is delicious, obviously.

I have made risotto with barley before, well actually twice- Barley Risotto with Kale and a Three Grain Risotto- which combines arborio rice, instant barley, and quinoa and coincidentally, has asparagus to go along with it.

This was fabulous. My husband asked me if I had taken a picture of it when he was sitting at the table eating. I asked him why he was so worried about it and he said "this is good!"

So, there you have it. The man who loves McDonalds with a passion, loves barley risotto too.

*notes- whenever a risotto recipe calls for wine, I just sub an equal amount of chicken broth for the wine.
I used instant barley for this risotto.

Recipe for Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Parmesan

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