Pork Shoulder Steaks with Pearl Barley, Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto, and Goat’s Cheese

If you’re like me and spend November days thinking of the most comforting dish you can make - you’ve come to the right place. This dish is a bed of pearl barley risotto, cooked with white wine, topped with a rich and perfectly salted pork shoulder steak, along with sweet and tender butternut squash. The balance between sweet and savoury make this dish a winner, along with the touch of sharpness from the goat’s cheese crumbled over.

Ingredients: 

• 4 Pork shoulder steaks  

• 1 Butternut Squash  

• 15ml honey  

• 150g White onion  

• 150g Carrot  

• 150g Leek  

• 2 Cloves of garlic  

• 8 Sage leaves  

• 400g Holland and Barrett’s Pearl Barley  

• 150ml White wine  

• 50g Spinach 

• 750ml+ Vegetable Stock 

• 150g Parmigiano Reggiano  

• 150g Goats cheese  

• 10g Chilli flakes  

• 4 Garlic cloves  

• 30ml Olive oil  

Method:  

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C Fan. Peel and chop the butternut squash into cubes, then drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and honey. Roast in the oven for 45/50 minutes, tossing halfway through.  

2. Meanwhile, add the diced onion, carrot, and finely chopped leek to a large pan on medium heat with olive oil. Leave these to sweat for around 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add in the chopped garlic and sage leaves then cook for another couple of minutes.  

3. Add in the pearl barley and stir through the vegetables. After a minute, add in the white wine and continue stirring as it simmers.  

4. Pour in a splash of the vegetable stock and keep stirring as it reduces, once fully absorbed add in another splash of stock and repeat the process until the pearl barley is cooked and tender (around 30/40 minutes).  

5. Take the pork shoulder steaks out the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature. 

6. For the garlic crisps, peel and finely slice the garlic. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a pan on a medium heat and add in the garlic slices. Leave to cook for a couple of minutes until golden, then remove from the pan and drain over paper.  

7. Take the washed spinach leaves and stir them through the pearl barley risotto until wilted.  

8. Season the pork with salt and pepper before searing in a medium/hot pan on both sides until golden brown. Cook for around 12/15 minutes, then leave them to rest under foil for 5 minutes.  

9. Once the pearl barley is cooked turn off the heat. Remove the finished butternut squash from the oven and stir it all through the pearl barley risotto. Finish by adding the grated Parmigiano Reggiano then season with salt and pepper to taste.   

10. To serve, spoon the pearl barley risotto onto the plate, top with goats’ cheese, chilli flakes and garlic crisps before slicing the pork and placing on top with a sprinkle of flaky salt.