Barley "Risotto" with Chorizo, Silverbeet and Broad Beans

Because of my PCOS and IR I can't have certain starches and carbs. Rice falls into the category of "only sometimes" foods, and then it's only the low GI varieties like basmati. Aborio rice has a high-medium GI count  thus rendering it something I can no longer eat. But that's okay, because I have pearl barley, and it makes a pretty good substitute. It is also really REALLY filling. I find that pearl barley is one of those rare food stuffs that can keep me feeling satisfied for many hours, and when I eat it I often can't finish my portion.

Recipe

Serves: 4 - 6
Cooking time: 45 mins - 1 hour

Ingredients

1 brown onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 chorizo sausages sliced and then chopped in half again
1 cup of broad beans, peeled
half a bunch of silverbeet, chopped coarsely
2 cups of pearl barley
3-4 litres of stock, warmed
1 can of Italian tomatoes
Worstershire sauce
salt
Cracked black pepper

I like to have everything ready to go before I start cooking.

Method

In a large heavy-based sauce pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Brown the onions for a minute, then add the celery and continue cooking for 2 minutes, then add the carrot and garlic while constantly stirring. Cook this mixture for about 4 minutes, then remove from pan and set aside.

Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and add the chorizo sausage. Fry off for a couple of minutes, and then add the broad beans. Stir fry for a minute more, then remove from pan. Set aside in a covered bowl, but not the one with the carrots and onions.

Add the onion, celery and carrot mix back to the pan along with the barley and a cup of stock. Add to this the silverbeet and bring to the boil. As the barley starts to swell, add in more stock in 2 cup increments. The best way to cook the barley is to keep the pan on a medium simmer, giving it a stir every minute. You wont have to stir constantly as with aborio rice, but you do have to be near the pot. It takes around 45 minutes to cook the barley (a shorter period if you pre-soak it for 4 hours).