Ingredients

• 75g/2½oz butter
• 1 onion
• finely chopped
• 800g-1kg/1lb 12oz-2lb 4oz butternut squash
• peeled
• seeds removed
• diced
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 1 litre/1¾ pint vegetable stock (made from a stock cube)
• 250g/9oz pearl barley
• rinsed
• 2 sprigs sage
• leaves picked and finely sliced
• salt and black pepper

Directions

• Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add 25g/1oz of the butter and
• once melted
• add the onion and squash along with a pinch of salt. Gently fry for 10 minutes
• or until the onion is translucent and the squash is softening. Add the garlic and continue to cook for two minutes
• or until aromatic.
• In a separate pan
• warm the stock and half of the sage leaves.
• Add 25g/1oz of the butter to the onion and squash and
• once melted
• add the pearl barley. Turn up the heat and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium and add a ladleful of warm stock. Stir well to mix and
• once absorbed
• add another ladleful
• stirring now and again. Repeat this process until the stock is used up and the pearl barley is tender (about 30 minutes).
• Once the barley is tender
• taste and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the remaining butter to the pan and stir through.
• Serve the risotto garnished with the remaining sage.