Vegan Fennel Mushroom Barley Risotto for Tu Bishvat!
For many, Tu Bishvat is a lesser known holiday, one that we did not celebrate when growing up in our secular community. As I’ve developed my own connection to Judaism throughout my adulthood, it has quickly become one of my favorite holidays to celebrate on the Jewish calendar, not only for its tie to nature, but its connection to vegetarianism.
Marking the New Year of the Trees, Tu Bishvat’s roots are as an agricultural festival to mark the start of the spring season. For those passionate about a healthy planet and world, it is a sort of Jewish Earth Day, a day to advocate for the restoration of our planet. It is a day perfectly spent out in nature, going for a hike, preparing and planning your springtime garden, and enjoying foods known as the “Seven Species” or Shivat Haminim, sacred fruits and grains grown in Israel.
Funnily enough, many of these crops grow and thrive in the California climate. The Seven Species include: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates, items you are likely to find at your local farmer’s market.
As a nature and earth-based holiday, I can’t think of a holiday more aligned to a plant-based diet, and as a vegetarian Jewish chef, I’d be remiss if I didn’t use it as an opportunity to celebrate with a vegan menu that highlights the flavors and symbolism of these fruits and grains native to both Israel and California.
A plant-based diet can help to reduce your environmental impact in a few ways, from reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with animal agriculture, conserving water, and is thought to be one of the leading solutions to slowing and halting climate change. Over the past year of promoting my vegetarian Jewish cookbook, Nosh, I’ve seen that people are eager to reduce their meat intake, whether it be for health or environmental reasons.
I often discuss the merits of reducing meat intake, and following a plant forward diet, where the plants take center stage, and those who still eat meat, can enjoy smaller portions, seeing them as a side dish rather than the main attraction. This notion of plant forward eating is a new way to approach a climate-friendly diet, removing many of the hurdles of a fully fledged vegan diet.
This hearty, vegan dish celebrates two of the seven species, barley and olives. Barley lends a chewy bite, similar to the al dente texture of arborio rice. In the absence of creamy cheese, I like to use a mixture of tahini, miso, and nutritional yeast for a rich, almost cheesy flavor, that pairs perfectly with the nutty barley for an irresistibly creamy dish. Fresh fennel adds a hint of sweetness, while earthy mushrooms provide both protein and umami flavor to this vegan risotto.
So, what are you waiting for? Tu Bishvat is the perfect excuse to ditch (or reduce!) the meat, and try your hand at a satisfying, plant based recipe and enjoy the rest of that white wine bottle while you’re at it. Chag Sameach!
Vegan Fennel Mushroom Barley Risotto for Tu Bishvat
Author: Micah Siva
Serves: 4
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- ¼ cup tahini
- 4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 small shallots, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 head fennel, finely chopped
- 12 oz assorted fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¼ tsp Aleppo chili flakes
- 1 Tbs. nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp. miso paste
- Zest of 1 lemon
- In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable broth over medium heat. Once simmering, add the tahini, and whisk to combine. Keep on low heat.
- In a large saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they begin to soften, add the fennel and the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove ½ of the vegetable mixture, and set aside.
- Add the barley, thyme, and bay leaf and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for 1 minute to lightly toast the barley.
- Add the wine, and cook until absorbed, about 4 minutes.
- Add one ladle of the warmed broth and tahini mixture, stir frequently to combine, until almost all of the broth has been absorbed, being careful not to boil the liquid. Continue adding the broth, one ladle at a time, stirring and letting the broth absorb into the barley between each ladle, until the barley is al dente. If you need more liquid, you can add warm water to finish cooking. Remove the bay leaf.
- Add the Aleppo chili flakes, nutritional yeast, miso, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Garnish with thyme
This recipe was originally posted on J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Sign up for Weekday J and get the latest on what’s happening in the Jewish Bay Area.