Kale and Barley Bites

This recipe is based on the Italian arancini – a popular snack believed to originate from Sicily.

Our rustic treats are made using a pearl barley and seasonal kale risotto which is then formed into balls and shallow fried to make delicious, crispy bites.

Ingredients

1 small onion
1 garlic clove
150g pearl barley
1 x 5ml ground nutmeg
1 small lemon (zest and juice)
100g kale (washed)
2 x 15ml vegetable oil
40g parmesan style vegetarian cheese
65g low-fat natural Greek yoghurt
2 ½ ml ground pepper
4 x 15ml plain flour (plus extra for rolling and shaping)
1 reduced salt vegetable stock cube

Equipment

Chopping board
Vegetable knife
Kettle
Weighing scales
Measuring jug
Grater
Juice squeezer
Measuring spoons
Large frying pan
Heatproof spoon
Large bowl
Fish slice
Serving plate

Instructions

1. Weigh and measure the ingredients.
2. On a clean, dry chopping board, chop the onion and garlic finely.
3. Crumble the reduced salt vegetable stock cube into the measuring jug and add 1 litre of boiling water.
4. Wash the lemon and grate the zest. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze out the juice using a juice squeezer.
5. Grate the cheese.
6. Chop the kale into small pieces.
7. In a large frying pan, heat up 1 x 15ml vegetable oil on a medium heat.
8. Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and fry on low heat for another 2 minutes.
9. Add the pearl barley and fry for 2 minutes on a medium heat before adding the 100ml of stock. Reduce the heat and simmer on low heat stirring regularly.
10. When the stock has been absorbed, add another 100ml of the stock along with the zest and juice of the lemon, the nutmeg and the kale and stir.
11. Add the remaining stock little by little until it has all been absorbed and the pearl barley is soft, this may take 20 minutes. Stir regularly. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
12. Cool the kale and pearl barely mixture and then add the parmesan style cheese, natural yoghurt and flour. Season with black pepper and stir well
13. Cover a clean surface with flour. Once the mixture has cooled, take a heaped 15ml spoon of the mixture and drop onto the floured surface. With floured hands, squeeze the mixture into a tight ball. Repeat until all the mixture is shaped into balls.
14. In a clean frying pan, heat up remaining vegetable oil on medium heat and when hot add the kale and barley balls. Keep turning the balls with a fish slice and fry until they are golden brown all the way round and the kale is crispy.
15. Remove from the heat and place on serving plate and enjoy.

Skills used include:
Weighing, measuring, chopping, grating, squeezing, washing, frying, simmering, mixing, cooling, shaping and serving.

Top Tips

If you have any leftover kale try making kale crisps.

1. Heat the oven to 130°C and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2. Wash the kale, remove the stalks and dry thoroughly. Place in a large bowl, tearing any large leaves into smaller pieces.
3. Drizzle over a little olive oil, then massage into the kale.
4. Tip onto the tray and spread the kale out. Bake for 10-15 mins or until crisp but still green, then leave to cool for a few minutes.
5. Sprinkle with a little black pepper and smoked paprika and serve.

Something to try next time

• Try adding either sundried tomatoes, peas or sweetcorn.
• Serve with our tasty tomato sauce from our Tasty Tomato Pasta recipe.
• Try serving as a starter with our Barbecue Tomato Sauce.

Prepare now, eat later

• The shaped balls can be frozen and cooked on another day.