Autumn Leek, Sprout & Barley Risotto with Soft-Boiled Eggs

This is a warming one-pan supper for a dark November evening: nutty pearl barley cooked slowly with leeks, onion and garlic, finished with shredded Brussels sprouts and cabbage, and topped with soft-boiled eggs and toasted hazelnuts. It rounds off this month's liver health series by bringing together several of the habits from my Top Tips: lots of plants, fibre from barley, beans and vegetables, and olive oil as the main added fat.

Leeks, sprouts, cabbage, kale and onions are all in season in the UK in November, so this is a good time to make the most of them. Each portion provides a whopping 15g of fibre, which is about half the 30g a day the NHS recommends.

Leeks, onions and garlic belong to the allium family, while sprouts, cabbage and mustard are all brassicas. Both families are known for their sulphur-containing plant compounds, which give them their distinctive flavour (and their cooking smells!). Researchers are interested in how these compounds interact with the body's own enzyme systems, including those in the liver. 

Finally, the eggs. Eggs are a good source of choline, a nutrient that contributes to the maintenance of normal liver function and to normal lipid metabolism. One egg provides around 147mg.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium leeks (about 300g), trimmed, washed and finely sliced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, or ½ tsp dried
• 200g pearl barley, rinsed
• 1 litre hot low-salt vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 x 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 250g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and finely shredded
• 200g savoy cabbage or kale, tough stalks removed and finely shredded
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• Zest and juice of ½ lemon
• 30g Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated (optional)
• 8 eggs
• 40g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Black pepper

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan over a medium-low heat. Add the leeks and onion and cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft but not browned. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute more.
2. Stir in the pearl barley, then pour in the hot stock. Bring to the boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and partly cover. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender but still has a little bite. Add a splash of hot water if it starts to look dry.
3. While the barley cooks, toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until golden, then set aside.
4. Bring a pan of water to a simmer. Lower in the eggs and cook for 6½ minutes for a soft yolk, or 9 to 10 minutes for a firm one. Cool under cold running water, then peel.
5. Stir the butter beans, sprouts and cabbage into the barley. Cook for 5 minutes, until the greens are just tender and still bright.
6. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the mustard, the lemon zest and juice, and the cheese if using. Season with black pepper.
7. Spoon into warm bowls. Halve the eggs and place them on top, then scatter over the hazelnuts and parsley.

Make It Your Own
Pearl barley contains gluten, so for a gluten-free version, swap for short-grain brown rice or buckwheat and follow the cooking time on the packet. For a veggie version, use vegetable stock and a vegetarian hard cheese.

Any leftover risotto will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days without the eggs. Reheat it until piping hot with a splash of water and top with freshly cooked eggs.

And if you're interested in more easy, nutritious recipes, why not head to the Recipe Index?