Serves 4

Ingredients
400g orzotto (wild barley)
300g asparagus tips
6 large scampi
6 small scampi
50g butter
1 shallot
1 pint of fish broth
1 packet of saffron
Tomatoes
Salt and pepper

Method

Shell the scampi, leaving the tail attached to the bottom.

Put the shells in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile blanch the asparagus in lightly salted water and blend the stems after they have been filleted.

In a pan melt the butter and add the shallots. Add the barley and let it brown slightly while stirring. Add one to two ladles of fish broth to the mixture at a time until the barley has soaked up the broth. Add the asparagus and small scampi, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Stir the orzotto with a knob of butter. Transfer it to a serving dish, garnish with the the asparagus and scampi mixture and some large diced fresh tomatoes peeled and seeded.

This dish is served at Pegasus Restaurant.

Saul Halevi is an Executive chef, Hotel Phoenicia, Floriana.