Pearl barley risotto with asparagus

Red wine reduction

• 1 brown onion (approx. 150 g), cut into quarters
• 1 garlic clove
• 40 g butter
• 1 - 2 tsp Meat stock paste, or Vegetable stock paste (see Tips)
• 250 g water
• 110 g red wine
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only

Pearl barley risotto

• 50 g Parmesan cheese, cut into cubes (3 cm)
• 1 leek (approx. 110 g), white part only, cut into quarters
• 20 g extra virgin olive oil
• 20 g butter
• 300 g pearl barley
• 100 g verjuice
• 750 g water
• 2 tsp Meat stock paste, or Vegetable stock paste (see Tips)
• 6 raw baby beetroots, peeled and cut into quarters
• 12 Dutch carrots, peeled
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into pieces (4 cm)
• 1 pinch sea salt, to taste
• 1 pinch ground black pepper, to taste