Ingredients

• 500ml/18fl oz carrot juice
• large pinch of sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 6 carrots (ideally Early Nantes)
• skin on
• scrubbed
• halved lengthways then cut into 1cm/½in slices at an angle
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 80g/2¾oz white onion (about ½ a medium onion)
• chopped
• 2 Pasilla Bajio chillies
• deseeded and finely chopped
• 150g/5½oz pearl barley
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 corn cob
• cooked in boiling water for 20 minutes
• covered
• 4 rainbow chard leaves
• rolled and chopped; stems cut into 3cm/1¼in pieces
• 3 spring onions
• finely sliced
• small bunch coriander
• chopped
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ tbsp rapeseed oil
• micro coriander (optional)

Directions

• For the carrots
• in a large saucepan over a medium heat
• bring the carrot juice and 100ml/3½fl oz water to the boil
• then add the salt and cumin. Add the carrots and simmer gently for 10 minutes
• or until they are cooked through. Remove from the heat
• remove the carrots and reserve the cooking liquor.
• For the barley
• in a medium
• lidded saucepan over a medium heat
• heat the oil and gently fry the onions and chillies for 5 minutes
• covered with a lid
• until softened. Stir in the barley and cumin and continue to fry for a minute. Add 500ml/18fl oz of the carrot cooking liquor to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer
• then cover with the lid and cook for 50–55 minutes
• stirring from time to time
• until the barley swells and is firm with a good bite. Check the texture
• taste and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes more
• if necessary. Set aside in the pan.
• To finish the barley risotto
• using a long knife
• carefully cut the kernels off the corn cob by running a knife along the central core. Keep 4 of the biggest lengths intact to use as garnish. Set these aside then release the kernels from the rest. Add the chard stems and leaves
• spring onions and loose corn kernels to the barley pan and stir. Place the pan back on a medium heat and cook for 12 minutes. Add the coriander and cook for a further minute until wilted. Finally
• taste and adjust the seasoning if required
• then add the lemon juice to sharpen the flavour.
• To finish
• in a frying pan over a medium heat
• fry the cooked carrot pieces in the rapeseed oil for 6–7 minutes
• until caramelised. Add the reserved pieces of sliced corn to the pan and cook for 3 minutes
• or until they begin to brown.
• To serve
• remove the caramelised carrots
• add them to the barley risotto and divide the risotto evenly between four plates. Finish with a length of sliced corn and micro coriander
• if using. Serve immediately.