Roman grain risotto "Augsburg" with pearl barley, Schrobenhausen asparagus, beer and Emmental cheese

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 ½ cup(s) pearl barley (milled like rice) or barley soaked overnight (unmilled)
• 1 shallot(s)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• some butter
• ½ bunch white asparagus, peeled
• ½ bunch asparagus, green
• Wheat beer, light, amount to taste
• Vegetable broth, strong, as needed
• 50 g Emmental cheese
• Butter flakes to taste
• salt and pepper
• Fresh herbs to taste

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

A recipe that might have been eaten in the region 2000 years ago

Finely dice the shallots and garlic and sauté in a little butter. Then add the pearl barley or barley that has been soaked overnight (i.e. not polished) and toast everything briefly. Finally, deglaze with wheat beer and stir continuously until the liquid has reduced. Then add two-thirds of the finely chopped white and green asparagus. Continue adding a ladleful of stock and reduce, stirring constantly, until the grains have reached the desired consistency. The more the risotto ingredients are stirred over the hot pan with no or a little liquid without burning, the more toasted ingredients are created and the risotto will become more flavorful. That’s why they say that the more you stir a risotto, the better. But it’s not about stirring, it’s about the toasted ingredients and avoiding burning. Another tip: Italian gourmets also eat risotto al dente, meaning with something between their teeth. However, it is also known that people in German-speaking countries prefer it cooked for longer. When the pearl barley is cooked to your liking, remove from the heat, stir in the remaining third of the finely chopped green and white asparagus, grated Emmental cheese, and flakes of butter, season with salt and pepper, and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. This will make the grain risotto creamier. Finally, plate up the dish, garnish with fresh seasonal herbs to taste, and serve. The remaining wheat beer goes well with it. This is a dish that might have been eaten 2,000 years ago in and around the Roman provincial capital of Augusta Vindelicum (Augsburg), located in the middle of the Bavarian section of the Via Claudia Augusta, the first road across the Alps that connected Europe.