Grilled Vegetable Barley "Risotto" with Marinated Portobello Steak

1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick
1 red onion, sliced in rings, 1/4-inch thick
1 eggplant, sliced lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and sliced
4 scallions
2 tablespoons butter
4 minced shallots
2-3 cups hot vegetable stock
2 cups barley
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and black pepper
Marinated Portobello Steaks, recipe follows
Basil Oil, recipe follows
Basil sprigs, for garnish

Mix oil and garlic. In a large bowl, toss the oil with all the vegetables and season well with salt and pepper.

On a hot grill, mark and cook vegetables. Place all vegetables back in same bowl and seal with plastic wrap to finish cooking.
When vegetables are cool, chop everything except scallions into small pieces and pour any leftover liquid into vegetable stock.

In a 1-quart saucier, add a little butter and saute shallots. Add barley and saute for 5 minutes until it gets a little "toasty."
Ladle in stock, one ladle at a time. Continue adding stock until the barley gets creamy. Season. Add back vegetables and heat thoroughly. Add cheese. Check for seasoning.

To serve, in a large pasta bowl, place a mound of barley on top half of plate. Slice Marinated Portobello Mushrooms like steak. Fan out in front of barley and garnish with Basil Oil and basil sprig.

Marinated Portobello Steaks

4 large portobello caps, de-stemmed
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup thin soy sauce
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup red wine
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Mix all together, taste for seasoning and marinate mushroom caps for 1 hour. On a very hot grill, mark and cook caps until hot in the middle.

Basil Oil

2 cups basil leaves
1 cup spinach
1 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

In very salted water, blanch basil and spinach for 30 seconds or until very soft, yet still green. Plunge in ice bath and squeeze out water.

Blend at high speed and add salt and oil. Cover blender and blend for 3-4 minutes or until cup becomes warm.