Kaszotto with Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese

Peel and finely chop the onion. Heat the broth in a separate saucepan. Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent. Add the pearl barley and stir for 1–2 minutes until the grains are well coated with oil.

Add a ladleful of hot broth and maintain a gentle simmer. Stir along the bottom frequently, adding the next ladleful when the previous one has almost been absorbed. Around the cooking time stated on the package, taste the barley: it should be tender without a hard core, but retain its grain texture. Do not reduce the liquid until dry; a creamy sauce should remain between the grains.

Peel the ready-roasted beets if they still have skins, then cut into small dice. Add to the nearly tender barley and stir gently. Cook only until the beets are warm, so the pieces do not break apart during stirring.

Add a pinch of black pepper and remove the saucepan from the heat. If the barley risotto is too thick, loosen it with a little of the remaining hot broth from the measured quantity.

Divide the barley risotto between four bowls and crumble the goat cheese on top. Serve immediately, keeping distinct pieces of cheese rather than melting it through prolonged stirring.