A spicy, warming tomato risotto

I am becoming increasingly converted to the joys of pearl barley. A couple of years ago I had barely cooked it at all, and now it's almost as regular as rice in my repertoire. Like rice, it works hot or cold, so you can use it in substantial salads. You can also use it in risotto-style dishes, and it's cheaper than risotto rice, more nutritious, and usually grown in the UK. What's not to like?

Well, you won't get the creaminess that you get with risotto rice, though you can compensate for this, maybe by stirring in some crème fraîche at the end. Or you can make a dish that isn't really about creaminess, like this 'risotto'.

I'm not sure whether you can call it a risotto or not - an Italian probably wouldn't recognise it as such. It is beautifully warming, punchy in flavour and a bit smoky: quite the opposite of the rather shy and retiring risottos you normally get. 

Assuming you've got some herbs andd spices, it's pretty much a store cupboard meal. (Ok, the cheese doesn't come from the store cupboard, but a packet of feta has such a long shelf-life that I usually keep one on standby in the fridge.) It's a flexible dish - feel free to adjust the flavourings as you see fit.

Serves four generously as a main course (it can easily be halved to serve two)

Ingredients 

2 onions
3 cloves of garlic (you can use more if you like it really garlicky)
1 tsp cooking oil
500g pearl barley
4 x 400g tins tomatoes
1 tsp smoked paprika
A pinch chilli powder (or to taste)
1 tsp dried oregano
Zest of half a lemon
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves (you could use basil or parsley instead)
200g packet feta, or a similar amount of goats' cheese, or mozzarella

Method

Chop the onion and add to a large pan with the oil. Sweat for a couple of minutes, then add the chopped garlic and cook for a couple of minutes more.

Add the pearl barley, the tinned tomatoes, the paprika and chilli. Fill one of the empty tins with water and add that too. Simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring now and then. If it gets too dry before the barley is cooked, add some more water.

When the barley is tender, stir in the thyme and half the coriander or basil leaves. Taste and adjust the spices and seasonings if necessary.

Serve with the remaining herbs sprinkled on and the cheese crumbled/ torn into pieces on top.