Pearl barley is an underrated ingredient but this recipe should put a stop to that. At only £2.20 a head to make, this is a cheap family dish that you'll want to make again. A rich, warming and delicious dish for when you need extra energy.
Ingredients
- A knob of butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 250g piece bacon or pork belly, cut into pieces, 2 leeks, thickly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 300g pearl barley
- 300g peeled and cubed butternut squash
- 3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 175g self-raising flour
- 75g butter
- 75g Cheddar, grated
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
Method
- 1. Heat a large pan over a medium heat. Add a good knob of butter and olive oil and fry the bacon or pork belly for 5 minutes, until golden.
- 2. Add leeks and garlic cloves, and fry for a few minutes.
- 3. Add pearl barley, butternut squash, fresh thyme leaves, and chicken stock. Season. Simmer for 25 minutes until the barley is nearly tender.
- 4. In a bowl, mix self-raising flour with butter, Cheddar, chopped fresh flatleaf parsley, some seasoning and a splash of water until it forms a soft dough. Roll into walnut-size dumplings, add to the casserole and cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 918kcals, 42.5g fat (21g saturated), 37g protein, 106.9g carbs, 5.6g sugar, 4.8g salt
Chef's tip
Pearl barley is really versatile so don’t just use it for stews and casseroles – use it instead of risotto rice or even just cooked in stock and cooled and stirred into salads.