Asparagus barley orzotto with a poached egg

Ingredients

For 1 serving

• Pearl barley70 g
• Asparagus180 g
• Eggs1
• Spring onions2
• Vegetable broth450 ml
• Extra virgin olive oil8 g
• Parmigiano Reggiano15 g
• White wine vinegar5 ml
• Saltto taste
• Black pepperto taste

Contains: gluten, lactose, eggs, celery, sulphites,

In season: April – June

Method

1. Warm the vegetable stock and keep it hot over the lowest heat. Wash the asparagus, snap off the woody base, cut off the tips and set them aside; slice the stalks into rounds. Thinly slice the spring onions and rinse the pearl barley.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry the spring onions for 2–3 minutes, until soft; add the barley and toast for 2 minutes, stirring, until hot and glossy.
3. Cook for 35 minutes over medium heat, adding the hot stock a ladle at a time and stirring often, until the barley is tender and creamy. Add the asparagus rounds for the last 8 minutes and the tips for the last 3, until tender but still green.
4. For the last 5 minutes, bring a small pan of water with the vinegar to a gentle simmer. Crack the egg into a cup, stir the water into a gentle whirlpool and slide the egg into the centre; poach for 3 minutes, until the white is set and the yolk still soft, then lift it out with a slotted spoon.
5. Take the barley off the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan; adjust the salt. Serve topped with the poached egg, a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper.