The baby turnips from the Bennington farmers’ market, pictured here, went swiftly into my canvas shopping bag. I had big plans for those sweet little golf ball sized veggies. Rooting through my pantry at home, I came upon a large store of barley, and, wouldn’t you know it, there was a cup or two of white wine leftover in the fridge. (How did that happen?)
I cooked up a risotto-style dish that could incorporate both the tender turnip roots and the bright, pungent leaves. Tamed with a bit of lemon zest and a heavy dose of pecorino romano, this recipe is somehow simultaneously light and filling, springy and hearty. Which I guess describes those first spring root vegetables, turnips, after all.
Risotto-Style Barley with Baby Turnips and their Greens
3 tbs butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 c. barley
1 c. dry white wine
6 c. water
1 small bunch spring turnips, greens removed and chopped, roots diced
grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 c grated pecorino romano
toasted walnuts
Heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat, then add the onion, shallots, garlic and salt. Cook for several minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion is very soft and translucent.
Add the barley to the pan and stir to coat it with the butter mixture. Add the white wine, stir, and simmer for five minutes, until the barley has absorbed some of the wine.
Keep the barley at an active simmer and add one of the six cups of water, simmering and stirring to keep the barley from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Wait for the barley to absorb much of the water, then add another cup. Keep adding water in one cup increments. The barley will have softened after 45 minutes to an hour. Don’t be afraid to taste a few grains to see if it’s ready — it’ll be chewier than rice, but should be relatively soft.
When the barley is nearly tender, add the lemon zest, turnip roots and greens, and cheese, and cook for a few minutes longer to soften the turnips and their greens. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed — the dish can take a lot of salt and freshly ground pepper.
Serve in big bowls with more cheese and a handful of toasted walnuts on top.
Leftovers
If you have leftovers from this meal, you can use them to make arancini, those delicious, breadcrumb-crusted, mozzarella-stuffed risotto balls. has an easy-to-follow recipe that uses Panko for extra crunch.
Be gentle with these; they aren’t quite as sticky as arancini made with rice, so you should turn them delicately as they cook, lest they fall apart and ooze delicious mozzarella all over your stovetop. (Not speaking from experience or anything…)